Imatinib Mesylate, Daunorubicin, and Cytarabine in Treating Patients With Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Bone marrow biopsy confirming acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

  • No M3 AML

• Patient must have relapsed to standard chemotherapy

  • Patients who relapse within six months of response to treatment or those who never responded to an anthracycline/cytarabine combination will be excluded
• At least 20% of peripheral blood or bone marrow blasts positive for c-kit
• No evidence of leptomeningeal involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG Performance Status 0-2
• Liver enzymes (AST and ALT) and total bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
• Serum creatinine ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal

• No New York Heart Association grade III or IV cardiac problems

  • Defined as congestive heart failure or myocardial infraction within the past 6 months
• No known chronic liver disease (i.e., chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis)
• No serious or poorly controlled medical conditions that could be exacerbated by the treatment or would seriously complicate compliance with this study
• No other active primary malignancy unless it is not currently clinically significant and does not require active intervention
• No history of HIV infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
• No significant history of noncompliance to medical regimens or inability to grant reliable informed consent

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Previous treatment-related toxicities should be resolved
• No other investigational agents within the past 28 days

• No chemotherapy within the past 4 weeks

  • 6 weeks for nitrosourea or mitomycin C
• No major surgery within the past 4 weeks
• No concurrent use of the following drugs is allowed: ketoconazole, dilantin, itraconazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, dexamethasone, rifampin, tegretol, phenobarbital, Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), cyclosporine, pimozide, warfarin, certain HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, traizolo-benzodiazepines, or dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers
• No other concurrent anticancer agents, including chemotherapy and biologic agents
• No other concurrent investigational drugs
• Concurrent medications known to be metabolized by cytochrome p450 enzymes are allowed

• No therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin will be permitted in patients participating in this study

  • Therapeutic anticoagulation may be accomplished using low-molecular weight heparin
  • Mini-dose warfarin for prophylaxis of central venous catheter thrombosis allowed
• No concurrent routine use of systemic corticosteroid therapy