Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)

  * Refractory anemia (RA)
  * RA with excess blasts (RAEB)
  * RAEB in transformation
  * RA with ringed sideroblasts
  * Non-proliferative chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (WBC less than 12,000/mm\^3)
* At least 1 of the following cytopenias:

  * Untransfused hemoglobin no greater than 10.0 g/dL and/or red cell transfusion dependent
  * Absolute neutrophil count no greater than 1,800/mm\^3 (neutropenia)
  * Platelet count no greater than 100,000/mm\^3 (thrombocytopenia)
* No secondary MDS
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2
* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* More than 4 months

Hematopoietic:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Platelet count at least 20,000/mm\^3
* No hemorrhagic illness within the past 3 weeks
* No hemolysis
* No iron deficiency
* No active blood loss

Hepatic:

* AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
* INR less than 2.0
* PTT less than 1.5 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
* No renal dysfunction requiring dialysis within the past 6 months
* No nephrotic syndrome within the past 6 months

Cardiovascular:

* No myocardial infraction within the past 6 months
* No severe or unstable angina within the past 6 months
* No severe peripheral vascular disease (ischemic rest pain, non-healing wound or ulcer, or tissue loss) within the past 6 months
* No uncontrolled hypertension within the past 6 months
* No transient ischemic attack within the past 6 months
* No cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
* No deep venous or arterial thrombosis
* No coronary artery disease
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease)
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No vascular illness within the past 3 weeks

Pulmonary:

* No pulmonary embolism

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other active malignancy except localized squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer

  * Prior cured malignancy allowed
* No trauma within the past 3 weeks
* No significant inflammatory disease within the past 3 weeks
* No serious non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human or humanized antibodies
* No other active severe disease
* No infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior allogeneic bone marrow transplantation
* At least 30 days since prior biologic response modifiers
* At least 30 days since prior hematopoietic growth factors
* At least 30 days since prior thalidomide
* No concurrent thalidomide
* No other concurrent biologic response modifiers
* No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors (including epoetin alfa)
* Concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) for febrile neutropenia allowed
* Concurrent transfusions allowed

Chemotherapy:

* At least 30 days since prior chemotherapy
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent corticosteroid therapy (more than 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent steroid dose) except for pre-medication for transfusions

Radiotherapy:

* At least 30 days since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* At least 3 weeks since prior surgery (including biopsy of visceral organ)

Other:

* At least 10 days since prior anticoagulants
* No concurrent cytotoxic agents
* No other concurrent investigational agents