17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin With or Without Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Prolymphocytic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

Histologically confirmed B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia or prolymphocytic leukemia requiring treatment, defined by 1 of the following criteria:

Massive or progressive splenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy
Anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL) OR thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100,000/mm^3)
Weight loss > 10% within the past 6 months
Grade 2 or 3 fatigue
Fevers > 100.5°F or night sweats for > 2 weeks with no evidence of infection
Progressive lymphocytosis with an increase of > 50% over a 2 month period OR an anticipated doubling time of < 6 months
Relapsed disease
Failed prior fludarabine or pentostatin therapy OR cannot receive fludarabine
Lymphocyte count ≥ 5,000/mm^3
Performance status - ECOG 0-2
Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
More than 12 weeks
Bilirubin < 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
LVEF > 40% by MUGA
QTc < 450 msec for male patients and < 470 msec for female patients
Resting ejection fraction ≥ 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram
No symptomatic congestive heart failure
No unstable angina pectoris
No cardiac arrhythmia

No significant cardiac disease including any of the following:

New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
History of myocardial infarction within the past year
History of uncontrolled dysrhythmias
Active ischemic heart disease within the past year
Poorly controlled angina
No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular fibrillation, history of symptomatic or sustained ventricular tachycardia, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia > 3 beats within the past 6 months)
No history of cardiac toxicity due to anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, or mitoxantrone hydrochloride)
No other cardiac symptoms ≥ grade 2
DLCO (i.e., oxygen diffusion capacity) ≥ 80% by pulmonary function testing
Resting and exercise oxygen saturation ≥ 90% by pulse oximetry
No pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2
No history of pulmonary toxicity due to bleomycin or carmustine
No significant, symptomatic pulmonary disease requiring oxygen or medications

No ongoing pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2 including any of the following:

Dyspnea on or off exertion
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Significant pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease)
No Medicare requirements for home oxygen (e.g., resting O_2 saturations ≥ 90% or desaturation to ≥ 90% with exertion)
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
HIV negative
No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin
No history of serious allergic reaction to eggs
No ongoing or active infection
No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
No other uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation
More than 3 months since prior rituximab and recovered
More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
No prior radiotherapy that potentially included the heart in the field (e.g., mantle)
No history of chest radiation
No concurrent medications that prolong or may prolong QTc
No concurrent antiarrhythmic drugs
No other concurrent investigational agents
No other concurrent anticancer therapy