Amifostine & High-Dose Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Acute ML or CML

Inclusion criteria:

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Newly diagnosed high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) defined as AML after myelodysplastic syndrome; refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation or "AML in evolution" also eligible AML following a chronic myeloproliferative disorder (except chronic myelogenous leukemia).
Therapy-related AML or AML following exposure to a known hematopoietic toxin Relapsed AML Age 70 or older OR AML in first relapse defined as
AML in first relapse without treatment on protocol AML-9801 Relapsed following standard chemotherapy Previously treated on AML-9701 and relapsed after at least 6 months of remission OR Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in blast crisis defined as
20% or more blast cells in the bone marrow or peripheral blood Pure lymphoid blastic crisis eligible if resistant to an acute lymphocytic leukemia type treatment regimen or relapsed after initial response to such treatment.
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy
Not specified Hematopoietic:
Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 3 mg/dL SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 3 mg/dL Cardiovascular:
No overt congestive heart failure or uncontrollable ventricular arrhythmias
No uncontrollable hypertension Neurologic: No cerebellar dysfunction
Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception.
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics above.

Exclusion criteria:

-Not identified by the protocol