Homoharringtonine and Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase
• •Clonal evolution (i.e., the presence of clones other than the Ph chromosome) allowed Ph chromosome variants or complex Ph chromosome translocations are not considered disease acceleration
• •Ineligible for known therapy of higher efficacy or priority
• •Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation should be considered priority therapy for CML patients with a matched related donor
• •No blastic phase CML (30% or more blasts in peripheral blood or bone marrow)
• •No accelerated phase CML, defined as any of the following: 15% or more peripheral or marrow blasts or 30% or more blasts and promyelocytes 20% or more peripheral or marrow basophils
• •Thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 100,000) unrelated to therapy
• •Documented extramedullary disease outside of liver or spleen
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age: 15 and over
• •Performance status: Zubrod 0-2
• •Life expectancy: Sufficient to fully evaluate the effects of 2 courses of therapy
• •Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• •SGOT less than 300
• •Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• •No severe heart disease (class III/IV)
• •No pregnant or nursing women
• •Effective contraception required of fertile women
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •No prior interferon alpha
• •At least 2 weeks since antileukemic therapy, with recovery required
• •Patients who received hydroxyurea within the past 2 weeks and have WBC greater than 50,000 may enter protocol after discussion with the primary investigator