Chemotherapy and Bone Marrow Transplantation in Treating Patients Acute Myeloid With Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: The following hematologic malignancies are eligible: Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia in one of the following categories: In complete remission In early relapse Newly diagnosed FAB types M6 and M7 Myelodysplastic syndromes including: Refractory anemia with excessive blasts Refractory anemia with excessive blasts in transformation Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia Secondary acute myeloid leukemia Transplantation priority given in decreasing order of: First remission Second remission Third remission Early relapse, with priority further reduced for: Refractory response to platelet transfusion Severe infection within 6 weeks prior to referral History of major organ pathology or insult (hepatitis, renal damage, pulmonary disease, cystitis, etc.) CNS disease allowed but priority status for transplantation lowered Donor Criteria: Sibling or matched related/unrelated donor required Donor priority as follows: Monozygotic twin Genotypical or phenotypical HLA-A, -B, -C, and -D match Match at any 2 loci (A, B, Dr) on the other haplotype ABO-compatible donor preferred Marrow processed to eliminate mismatched erythrocytes if ABO incompatible In case of multiple donors, priority is: ABO compatibility Age over 18 Same sex No physiologic, psychologic, or medical contraindication to donation procedure No increased anesthetic risk due to pre-existing illness HIV negative

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 6 months to 60 years Performance status: No preterminal or moribund patients Life expectancy: No severe limits on life expectancy due to diseases other than leukemia Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Transaminases no greater than 3 times normal No severe hepatic disease Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min No severe renal disease No history of severe cystitis with cyclophosphamide Cardiovascular: LVEF at least 50% No symptomatic cardiac disease Pulmonary: FEV1 and FVC at least 75% of normal No severe pulmonary disease Other: HIV negative No severe personality disorder or severe mental illness No condition (such as substance abuse) that would markedly increase the morbidity and mortality of transplantation Criteria of hepatic, renal, cardiac, and pulmonary function and mental illness are used only for initial screening of potential candidates; patients who do not meet these criteria may still be eligible at the discretion of the transplant team

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics