Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Myelofibrosis

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Diagnosis of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM), defined by all of the following:
• •* Leukoerythroblastic blood picture
• •* Fibrosis involving \> 1/3 sectional area of bone marrow biopsy
• •* Splenomegaly (unless patient has undergone prior splenectomy)
• •* Philadelphia chromosome negative
• •* No myelodysplastic syndrome
• •* No systemic disorders associated with marrow fibrosis
• •Red blood cell transfusion dependent, defined by 1 of the following:
• •* Patient has required ≥ 2 units of red blood cells every 4 weeks within the past 8 weeks
• •* Hemoglobin ≤ 8 g/dL on ≥ 3 occasions (≥ 2 weeks apart ) over the past 8 weeks
• •No evidence of disease transformation to acute myelogenous leukemia, defined as \> 20% blasts in bone marrow and/or peripheral blood
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Performance status
• •ECOG 0-3
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count \> 50,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •AST or ALT ≤ 2 times ULN (unless due to extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver)
• •Renal
• •Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular
• •No New York Heart Association grade III-IV heart disease
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective barrier method contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
• •No serious, uncontrolled medical condition
• •No patients who are considered potentially unreliable or with a history of noncompliance to medical regimens
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •More than 2 weeks since prior interferon alfa
• •Chemotherapy
• •No concurrent chemotherapy except hydroxyurea to control elevated blood counts
• •Endocrine therapy
• •More than 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids, danazol, or other androgens for MMM
• •Other
• •More than 4 weeks since other prior treatment for MMM
• •No other concurrent experimental drug therapy for MMM