S0301 Cyclosporine, Daunorubicin, and Cytarabine in Treating Older Patients With Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Morphologically confirmed acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Differential diagnosis of AML based on FAB classification system

M0-M7 (No M3)
No blastic transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemia
Must be currently registered on protocols SWOG-9007 and SWOG-S9910

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

56 and over

Performance status

Zubrod 0-3 (for patients 56 to 60 years of age) OR
Zubrod 0-2 (for patients 61 to 70 years of age) OR
Zubrod 0-1 (for patients 71 years of age and over)

Life expectancy

Not specified

Hematopoietic

Not specified

Hepatic

Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) unless elevated unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is secondary to Gilbert's syndrome or hemolysis and not to liver dysfunction
AST and/or ALT no greater than 4 times ULN

Renal

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN AND/OR
Creatinine clearance greater than 40 mL/min

Cardiovascular

Left ventricular function normal
Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram
No unstable cardiac arrhythmias
No unstable angina

Other

Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer that is currently in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

No concurrent pegfilgrastim

Chemotherapy

At least 30 days since prior low-dose cytarabine (less than 100 mg/m^2/day) for myelodysplastic syndromes and recovered
Prior hydroxyurea to control high cell counts allowed
No prior systemic chemotherapy for acute leukemia
Concurrent single-dose intrathecal chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy

Not specified

Radiotherapy

Not specified

Surgery

Not specified