A Phase II Study of Arsenic Trioxide for Induction Therapy of Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Philadelphia Chromosome Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Previously Untreated Chronic Myeloid Leukemia With Blast Crisis

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of one of the following:

- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

- Philadelphia chromosome (Bcr-abl) positive

- Refractory to initial therapy OR recurrent following 1 induction therapy
regimen with or without consolidation therapy and/or bone marrow
transplantation

- Blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia

- Philadelphia chromosome (Bcr-abl) positive

- Previously untreated OR recurrent or refractory following 1 induction
therapy regimen with or without consolidation therapy including imatinib
mesylate

- Must not be eligible for bone marrow transplant

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2

Life expectancy:

- At least 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

- Not specified

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- AST/ALT no greater than 2 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 2.0 times ULN

- Creatinine clearance greater than 70 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No uncontrolled angina

- No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

- No second degree heart block without pacemaker

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study

- HIV negative

- No uncontrolled infection or other serious concurrent illness

- No peripheral neuropathy

- No potassium less than 3.0 or greater than 5.5 mEq/L that can not be corrected OR

- No magnesium less than 1.2 or greater than 2.5 mEq/L that can not be corrected

- Electrolyte imbalances must be corrected prior to study entry

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

Chemotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy

- At least 24 hours since prior hydroxyurea

- No prior arsenic trioxide

- No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy except intrathecal chemotherapy for CNS
leukemia

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy

- No concurrent radiotherapy including for palliation

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- At least 14 days since prior imatinib mesylate

- No other concurrent investigational agents

- No concurrent amphotericin B