Combination Chemotherapy Followed by Melphalan and Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the feasibility and toxicity of timed sequential remission induction and consolidation in children with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia. II. Determine the feasibility and toxicity of a single high dose of melphalan with peripheral blood stem cell rescue following an intense timed sequential induction and consolidation in these children.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Remission induction: Patients receive daunorubicin IV over 15 minutes on days 1-3, cytarabine IV continuously on days 1-7, oral thioguanine daily on days 1-7, and cytarabine intrathecally (IT) on day 1. Cytarabine IV over 3 hours is administered every 12 hours on days 10-12. Filgrastim (G-CSF) is administered IV or subcutaneously (SQ) beginning on day 13 and continuing until blood counts recover. On approximately day 28, patients undergo a bone marrow aspirate and biopsy to assess response. Patients who have attained an M1 or M2a status proceed to consolidation or, if a 5/5 or 6/6 HLA matched sibling donor is available, proceed to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Patients with greater than 25% blasts go off study. Consolidation 1: Patients receive daunorubicin IV over 15 minutes on days 1 and 2, cytarabine IV over 3 hours every 12 hours on days 1, 2, 8, and 9, and asparaginase on days 2 and 9. G-CSF IV or SQ begins on day 10 and continues until blood counts recover. Consolidation 2: Patients receive cytarabine IV over 3 hours every 12 hours on days 1, 3, and 5. G-CSF IV or SQ begins on day 6 and continues until blood counts recover. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) are collected after the second course of consolidation. Consolidation 3: Treatment is repeated as in consolidation 1. Patients who remain in morphologic remission after consolidation 3 proceed with therapy. Patients receive melphalan IV over 30 minutes on day -2, then PBSC are reinfused on day 0. G-CSF IV or SQ begins on day 1 and continues until blood counts recover. Patients are followed every 6 months for 4 years and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 20-30 patients will be accrued for this study within 8 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven, previously untreated primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Isolated granulocytic sarcoma (myeloblastoma) allowed Patients with cytopenias and bone marrow blasts greater than 5% but less than 30% eligible only if there is karyotypic abnormality characteristic of de novo AML (t(8;21), inv16, t(9;11), etc.) OR unequivocal presence of megakaryoblasts No acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3) No Down syndrome

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 21 and under Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Uric acid no greater than 8.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: Cardiac function normal by echocardiogram Pulmonary: No uncontrolled, life threatening pneumonia Other: No uncontrolled, life threatening sepsis or meningitis Not pregnant Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: No prior therapy