GTI-2040 in Treating Patients With Relapsed, Refractory, or High-Risk Acute Leukemia, High-Grade Myelodysplastic Syndromes, or Refractory or Blastic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria

• •Diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• •* Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) refractory to primary standard induction therapy
• •* Relapsed or refractory acute leukemia
• •* Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in blast crisis at diagnosis OR that failed prior aggressive induction chemotherapy
• •Diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• •* Acute leukemia secondary to preexisting hematologic condition or prior chemotherapy at diagnosis OR that failed prior aggressive induction chemotherapy
• •* Advanced myelodysplastic syndromes (intermediate-1 or greater)
• •* De novo acute leukemia (myeloid or nonmyeloid)
• •Not a candidate for aggressive standard induction chemotherapy
• •De novo AML or ALL (patients \> 60 years of age)
• •No suspected or proven active CNS leukemia
• •ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 50-100%
• •Life expectancy \>= 8 weeks
• •Bilirubin =\< 1.5 mg/dL
• •AST and ALT \< 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Creatinine =\< 1.5 times ULN
• •No HIV positivity
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No history of allergic reactions attributed to other phosphorothiolated oligonucleotides
• •No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:
• •* Ongoing, active, or poorly controlled infection
• •* Symptomatic congestive heart failure
• •* Unstable angina pectoris
• •No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:
• •* Cardiac arrhythmia
• •* Poorly controlled pulmonary disease
• •* Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• •Recovered from all prior therapies
• •Prior autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation allowed (No active graft-vs-host disease \> grade 2)
• •At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy
• •At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent biologic therapy
• •At least 2 weeks since any other prior investigational agent
• •No other concurrent anticancer therapy, including radiotherapy or hormonal therapy
• •Concurrent imatinib mesylate for CML allowed
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregancy test