A Phase II Study Of Daunomycin And ARA-C, Both Given By Continous IV Infusion For Previously Untreated Non-M3 Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) In Patients Of Age 56 Or Older

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

- No M3 AML or blastic transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemia

- Must be enrolled on SWOG-9007 and S9910 protocols

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 56 and over

Performance status:

- Zubrod 0-3

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Not specified

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT or SGPT no greater than 4 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR

- Creatinine clearance greater than 40 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- LVEF at least 50% by MUGA scan or 2-dimensional echocardiogram

- No unstable cardiac arrhythmias

- No unstable angina

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal
cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other
adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior systemic chemotherapy for acute leukemia

- Prior hydroxyurea to control high cell counts allowed

- Prior low-dose cytarabine (less than 100 mg/m^2/day) for treatment of myelodysplastic
syndrome allowed

- At least 30 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered

- Concurrent single-dose intrathecal chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- Not specified

Surgery:

- Not specified