Cyclosporine in Treating Patients With Low Blood Counts Caused By Hematologic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia

Increased numbers of large granular lymphocytes in peripheral blood smears
CD3+CD8+CD57+ immunophenotype by flow cytometry AND
CD3+CD57+ cell count at least 2,000/mm^3 OR
CD3+CD57+ cell count at least 500/mm^3 with clonal T-cell receptor beta gene rearrangement

Patients must have at least 1 of the following:

Severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 500/mm^3)
Neutropenia (ANC less than 1,000/mm^3) and recurrent infections
Anemia (hemoglobin less than 9 g/dL)
Thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 50,000/mm^3)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

NCI CTC 0-3

Hematopoietic:

See Disease Characteristics

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Endocrine therapy:

No concurrent hormonal therapy except steroids for adrenal failure or hormones for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
No concurrent dexamethasone or other steroidal antiemetics

Other:

No prior cyclosporine therapy for this leukemia