Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute or Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the effect of combined intensive induction and postremission therapy with high-dose cytarabine plus a single high dose of idarubicin in patients with previously untreated acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). II. Identify cytogenetic, molecular, or immunophenotypic markers in AML patients for use in the study of residual disease. OUTLINE: All patients receive high dose cytarabine for 5 days and idarubicin on the third day as induction chemotherapy. Patients who achieve a complete remission (CR) proceed to consolidation chemotherapy, as follows: cytarabine and etoposide for 5 days; and, for patients aged 60 and under, cytarabine for 4 days, with idarubicin on the third day. Patients eligible for the second consolidation course may have peripheral blood stem cells collected following this regimen. Patients with an HLA-compatible donor then proceed to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, while patients over age 60, those with the t(8;21) or inv16 cytogenetic abnormality, and those without an HLA-compatible donor receive maintenance therapy with the humanized monoclonal antibody M195 twice weekly for 3 weeks, then monthly for 5 months. G-CSF is administered with each chemotherapy regimen. Patients are followed for survival. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: 60 patients will be entered over 3 years.