Arsenic Trioxide and Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Cytogenetically confirmed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukemia, meeting one of the following criteria:

Chronic phase

Less than 15% blasts in peripheral blood or marrow
Less than 30% blasts and promyelocytes in peripheral blood or marrow
Less than 20% basophils in blood or marrow
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 (unless therapy related)
No progressive (increase of at least 10 cm in any 4 of the past 24 weeks) or existing (greater than 10 cm) splenomegaly

Complete hematologic response (CHR)

No immature myeloid cells in peripheral blood
No increased basophils in peripheral blood
WBC less than upper limit of normal (ULN)
Platelet count less than ULN

No major (less than 35% Ph+) or complete (0% Ph+) cytogenetic response after at least 6 months of imatinib mesylate

Loss of prior major cytogenetic response or failure to achieve major cytogenetic response

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

18 and over

Performance status

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

Not specified

Hematopoietic

See Disease Characteristics

Hepatic

Bilirubin less than 1.5 times ULN
AST or ALT less than 2.5 times ULN

Renal

Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

No New York Heart Association grade III or IV congestive heart failure
No untreated symptomatic cardiac ischemia

No underlying cardiac arrhythmia, including but not limited to any of the following:

Conduction abnormality/atrioventricular heart block
Nodal/junctional arrhythmia/dysrhythmia
Sinus bradycardia or tachycardia
Supraventricular tachycardia
Ventricular arrhythmia

Other

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use 2 methods of effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study
Electrolyte levels (especially potassium and magnesium) normal (CHR patients)
No history of noncompliance that would preclude study participation
No other concurrent serious, uncontrolled medical condition
No grade 2 or greater neuropathy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

Not specified

Chemotherapy

Not specified

Endocrine therapy

Not specified

Radiotherapy

Not specified

Surgery

Not specified

Other

More than 14 days since prior therapy except hydroxyurea, anagrelide hydrochloride, or imatinib mesylate
More than 28 days since prior investigational agents
No concurrent grapefruit or grapefruit juice