FR901228 in Treating Patients With Hematologic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of one of the following hematologic malignancies:

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (including Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia)
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

Stratum I (CLL and SLL):

Received at least one prior therapy containing a purine analog OR
Received another form of therapy (including alkylating agents) due to history of severe autoimmune disease, requirement for chronic corticosteroid, or other contraindication to purine analog therapy

Stratum II (AML and ALL):

Primary refractory or relapsed leukemia within the past year that is not amenable to curative therapy
OR

Untreated or previously treated poor-risk leukemia defined by any of the following:

65 years of age and over
Poor-risk candidates for aggressive chemotherapy
Poor-risk cytogenetics (for AML, karyotype abnormalities other than t(8;21), inv(16), t(15;17))

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

Stratum I only:

No uncontrolled autoimmune hemolytic anemia
No idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Stratum II only:

WBC no greater than 10,000/mm^3 OR
WBC no greater than 40,000/mm^3 that is stable for at least 1 week (may be sustained by hydroxyurea through the first week of study)

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
ALT and AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA
No myocardial infarction or unstable angina within the past 6 months
No prior unstable ventricular or supraventricular cardiac arrhythmias

Other:

HIV negative
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No other medical or psychiatric problem that would preclude study

Stratum I only:

No active infection requiring oral or IV antibiotics

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy (except hydroxyurea)
At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
At least 8 weeks since prior UCN-01 (unless plasma UCN-01 level less than 1 uM)

Endocrine therapy:

See Disease Characteristics

Radiotherapy:

At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

At least 28 days since prior major surgery