Phenylbutyrate, Dexamethasone, and Sargramostim in Treating Patients With Refractory or Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Failed standard induction chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation (SCT) OR
Relapsed after standard induction chemotherapy or SCT OR
Refused or not a candidate for SCT or matched allogeneic sibling bone marrow transplantation or donor lymphocyte infusion OR
Refused of not a candidate for autologous SCT or bone marrow transplantation
No CNS leukemia

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 7 days

Hematopoietic:

Not specified

Hepatic:

AST or ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Bilirubin no greater than 3 times ULN
No hepatic disease that would preclude study

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL
Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
No renal disease that would preclude study

Cardiovascular:

No cardiac disease that would preclude study
No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
No myocardial infarction within past 8 weeks

Other:

No active infection except cystitis
Not pregnant or nursing
No altered mental status or seizure disorder
No other serious disease that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

See Disease Characteristics

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

Not specified

Surgery:

Not specified

Other:

At least 3 weeks since prior investigational antineoplastic drugs