Combination Chemotherapy Followed By Alemtuzumab in Treating Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Prolymphocytic Leukemia

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Determine the number of severe adverse events and life-threatening infections in patients with T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia or T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia treated with induction chemotherapy comprising fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and mitoxantrone hydrochloride followed by consolidation therapy comprising alemtuzumab.
• Determine the remission rate in patients treated with this regimen.

Secondary

• Determine the overall and progression-free survival of patients treated with this regimen.
• Determine the quality of remission in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients receive induction chemotherapy comprising fludarabine IV and cyclophosphamide IV for 3 days and mitoxantrone hydrochloride IV on 1 day. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 4 courses. Patients then receive consolidation therapy comprising alemtuzumab IV 3 times in week 1 and then weekly for up to 11 weeks.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 17 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) or T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL)
• Previously untreated disease OR patient may have received up to 2 therapies

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy > 6 months
• No severe organ dysfunction
• No other concurrent or previous neoplasm
• No autoimmune hemolytic anemia or thrombocytopenia

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior fludarabine, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, cyclophosphamide, or alemtuzumab