Docetaxel in Treating Children With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic or Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed acute lymphoblastic or acute myeloid leukemia

M3 bone marrow relapse required
Refractory to conventional chemotherapy
No extramedullary disease at relapse

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

21 and under at time of initial diagnosis

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

Not specified

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times normal
Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal OR
Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate at least 70 mL/min

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

At least 7 days since prior biologic therapy and recovered
At least 6 months since prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation
No concurrent immunomodulating agents during first 2 courses of therapy
No concurrent routine filgrastim (G-CSF)

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (4 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
No prior paclitaxel or docetaxel
No other concurrent chemotherapy during first 2 courses of therapy

Endocrine therapy:

No concurrent corticosteroid therapy except dexamethasone, low-dose hydrocortisone to treat allergic reactions, or treatment for adrenal crisis

Radiotherapy:

Recovered from prior radiotherapy
At least 2 weeks since prior palliative local radiotherapy
At least 6 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy or radiotherapy to at least 50% of the pelvis
At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

Not specified