Docetaxel in Treating Children With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic or Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed acute lymphoblastic or acute myeloid leukemia

  * M3 bone marrow relapse required
* Refractory to conventional chemotherapy
* No extramedullary disease at relapse

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 21 and under at time of initial diagnosis

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times normal
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal OR
* Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate at least 70 mL/min

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 7 days since prior biologic therapy and recovered
* At least 6 months since prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation
* No concurrent immunomodulating agents during first 2 courses of therapy
* No concurrent routine filgrastim (G-CSF)

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (4 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
* No prior paclitaxel or docetaxel
* No other concurrent chemotherapy during first 2 courses of therapy

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent corticosteroid therapy except dexamethasone, low-dose hydrocortisone to treat allergic reactions, or treatment for adrenal crisis

Radiotherapy:

* Recovered from prior radiotherapy
* At least 2 weeks since prior palliative local radiotherapy
* At least 6 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy or radiotherapy to at least 50% of the pelvis
* At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Not specified