Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically proven chronic myelogenous leukemia

- Must have (9;22) translocation or bcr/abl transcript, and b3a2 breakpoint

- No accelerated or blastic phase

- Must be in hematologic remission with peripheral WBC less than 20,000/mm^3

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Over 16

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Absolute granulocyte count greater than 1,200/mm^3

- Platelet count greater than 70,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin greater than 9.0 g/dL

- No active bleeding

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL

- Lactate dehydrogenase less than 2 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

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

Other:

- No uncontrolled active infection requiring antibiotics

- No other serious illness

- No immunodeficiency other than from prior bone marrow transplantation

- Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- At least 6 months since prior allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation

- Prior vaccination with pentavalent peptide at less than study dose level allowed

- At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy other than interferon, donor lymphocyte
infusion, or pentavalent vaccine

- Concurrent interferon allowed

Chemotherapy:

- At least 2 weeks since prior low-dose subcutaneous cytarabine

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy other than hydroxyurea

- No concurrent chemotherapy except hydroxyurea

Endocrine therapy:

- No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

- No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

- No concurrent surgery

Other:

- Concurrent imatinib mesylate allowed

- No other concurrent systemic therapy