Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Pathological confirmation of one of the following:

- Untreated refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) in transformation

- RAEB with greater than 10% blasts cells in the bone marrow

- Other myelodysplastic syndromes

- Profound cytopenias

- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) supervening after overt myelodysplastic
syndromes (MDS) of more than 6 months duration

- No blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia

- No leukemias supervening after other myeloproliferative disease

- No leukemias supervening after overt MDS of less than 6 months duration

- The following are allowed:

- Secondary acute leukemias following Hodgkin's disease or other malignancies

- Secondary leukemias following exposure to alkylating agents or radiation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 16-60

Performance status:

- WHO 0-2

Hematopoietic:

- If RAEB, blasts cells of greater than 10% in bone marrow

- Neutrophil count less than 5,000 or Platelet count less than 200,000

- Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) with greater than 5% blasts cells in bone
marrow, or CMML with neutrophil count greater than 160,000 or monocyte count greater
than 2,600

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal

Cardiovascular:

- No patients with severe heart failure requiring diuretics or an ejection fraction of
less than 50%

Neurological:

- No severe concomitant neurological disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- No treatments within the past 4 weeks of:

- Biological response modifiers AND/OR

- Low dose Ara-C

Chemotherapy:

- No prior intensive treatment for MDS or AML

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior treatment for MDS or AML

Surgery:

- Not specified