Rasburicase and Allopurinol in Treating Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To prospectively evaluate the efficacy, as defined by uric acid response rate, of 2 different single low doses of rasburicase followed by allopurinol in 2 treatment arms. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate the proportion of patients requiring additional doses of rasburicase to maintain a uric acid level =\< 7.5mg/dL on day 2 through day 6. II. To identify differential characteristics of the patients who do not respond to treatment. III. To measure the area under the plasma uric acid concentration-time curve (AUC) from baseline (day 1) to day 7, time to plasma uric acid level less than or equal to 7.5mg/dL. IV. To evaluate the rate of patients requiring hemodialysis (HD) V. To evaluate the safety of low single-doses of rasburicase. VI. To evaluate the rate of patients expressing a doubling of serum creatinine. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive 1.5mg of rasburicase intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on day 1\* and allopurinol orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-6. ARM II: Patients receive 3 mg of rasburicase IV over 30 minutes on day 1\* and allopurinol PO QD on days 1-6. NOTE: \*Patients with serum uric acid \>= 7.5mg/dl also receive rasburicase IV on days 2-3. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days.