Imatinib Mesylate After a Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) characterized by p^190 and/or p^210 bcr/abl gene rearrangement
  • Accelerated or blastic phase CML
  • CML in second or greater chronic phase
• No imatinib mesylate-resistant leukemia

• Planned allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

  • Availability of an appropriately matched related or unrelated donor
  • Autologous or nonmyeloablative transplantation is not allowed

• None of the following within 4 days after the date of neutrophil engraftment*:

  • More than 5% marrow blasts
  • Circulating peripheral blood leukemic blasts
  • Aberrant antigen expression on marrow myeloblasts ≥ 1% by multidimensional flow cytometric assay
  • Presence of bcr/abl in > 5% of marrow interphase nuclei by fluorescent in situ hybridization
  • More than 1 of 20 Philadelphia chromosome-positive marrow metaphases
  • CNS involvement by leukemia NOTE: *The date of neutrophil engraftment is defined as the second consecutive day at which the peripheral blood absolute neutrophil count exceeds 500/mm3

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• Not specified

Life expectancy

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic

• See Disease Characteristics
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,200/mm^3 (use of filgrastim [G-CSF] allowed)

Hepatic

• Not specified

Renal

• Not specified

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known imatinib mesylate hypersensitivity
• No other disease that severely limits life expectancy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• See Disease Characteristics