Tipifarnib and Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Acute Leukemia or Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia in Blast Phase

You may be eligible if

• Meets 1 of the following disease-specific criteria:
• * Relapsed disease after =\< 2 prior chemotherapy regimens (consolidation therapy excluded)
• * Primary-induction failure
• * Previously untreated and deemed unfit for or refusing cytotoxic chemotherapy
• No hyperleukocytosis (leukemic blasts \>= 30,000/mm\^3)
• No acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3)
• No active CNS leukemia
• SGOT and SGPT =\< 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin normal
• Creatinine =\< 1.5 times ULN
• No uncontrolled hypertension, congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, or ventricular dysrhythmias
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• No uncontrolled disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• * Hormonal contraception must have been initiated ≥ 1 month prior to study entry
• No active graft-vs-host disease
• No active uncontrolled infection
• No intrinsic impaired organ function
• No known allergy to imidazole drugs
• No neuropathy \>= grade 1
• No known hypersensitivity to bortezomib, tipifarnib, boron, or mannitol
• No physical or psychiatric conditions that would preclude study participation, including poorly controlled psychosis
• At least 48 hours since prior hydroxyurea
• No prior tipifarnib, bortezomib, or investigational proteasomal inhibitors
• No concurrent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy
• No concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic medications (e.g., phenytoin, phenobarbital, or carbamazepine)
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• LVEF \>= 40%
• Pathologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• * Acute myeloid leukemia
• * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• * Chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast phase