S0020 Immunosuppressive Therapy in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Morphologically confirmed myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

Refractory anemia (RA)
RA with ringed sideroblasts
RA with excess blasts
Low, intermediate-1, or intermediate-2 risk by International Prognostic Scoring System criteria
MDS secondary to prior chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for other malignant disorders allowed
Must have received prior transfusions of at least 4 units of red blood cells for anemia within the past 60 days
Must be concurrently registered on SWOG-S9910 and SWOG-9007
Ineligible for or refused participation in SWOG-S9920 (HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplantation)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

15 and over

Performance status:

Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

Not specified

Hepatic:

Not specified

Renal:

Not specified

Other:

No other malignancy within the past 2 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 in complete remission
HIV negative
Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

See Disease Characteristics
Prior cytokines (e.g., interferon or interleukin), colony-stimulating factors, or epoetin alfa allowed
No prior bone marrow or stem cell transplantation
No concurrent growth factors (including epoetin alfa) except filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF) for neutropenia

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No prior remission induction chemotherapy for MDS
Prior hydroxyurea allowed

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics

Surgery:

Not specified

Other:

Prior amifostine allowed
No calcium-channel blockers (diltiazem, nicardipine, or verapamil), antifungals (fluconazole, itraconazole, or ketoconazole), antibiotics (clarithromycin or erythromycin), or other drugs (bromocriptine or danazol) that would increase cyclosporine concentrations for 48 hours before, during, and for 48 hours after cyclosporine
No antibiotics (nafcillin or rifampin) or anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin) that would decrease cyclosporine concentrations for 14 days before and during cyclosporine