Homoharringtonine in Treating Patients With Refractory Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia confirmed morphologically and by t(15;17) translocation or molecular polymerase chain reaction
• Refractory to tretinoin, anthracyclines, and arsenic-based therapy (including arsenic trioxide) and for which no other alternative therapy of higher priority is appropriate
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 12 and over
• Performance status:
• Zubrod 0-3
• Life expectancy:
• More than 4 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No active ischemia
• No other uncontrolled cardiac condition (e.g., angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension, or congestive heart failure)
• No myocardial infarction within the past 12 weeks
• Other:
• No other concurrent illness that would preclude study
• No other active malignancy
• No uncontrolled active infection
• No clinically significant screening serum chemistry results unless attributed to acute promyelocytic leukemia
• No medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude informed consent or study therapy
• HIV negative
• HTLV-I and HTLV-II negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Prior or concurrent leukapheresis allowed
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 15 days since prior systemic chemotherapy unless leukemia progression necessitates early therapy
• No other concurrent systemic chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• Not specified
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 15 days since other prior antileukemic therapy unless leukemia progression necessitates early therapy
• No other concurrent antileukemic therapy