A Phase II Study Of The Farnesyltransferase Inhibitor ZANESTRA (R115777, NSC #702818, IND #58,359) In Complete Remission Following Induction And/Or Consolidation Chemotherapy In Adults With Poor-Risk Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) And High-Risk Myelodysplasia (MDS)

Inclusion Criteria:

* Pathological Confirmation of the Diagnosis of AML, MDS
* PMNs \>= 1,000/ul
* Platelets \>= 30,000/ul
* Hematocrit \>= 27% and/or Hemoglobin \>= 9 gm/dl unsupported
* ECOG Performance Status 0-2
* Patients must be able to give informed consent
* Female patients of childbearing age must have negative pregnancy test
* AST, ALT and Alkaline Phosphatase =\<2.5 x normal
* Bilirubin =\< 1.5 x normal
* Serum Creatinine =\< 2.0 mg/dl or Creatinine Clearance \>= 40 ml/min
* Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction \>= 25%
* Patients with poor-risk AML or high-risk MDS who have completed both induction and consolidation chemotherapy; poor risk AML is defined by one or more of the following characteristics:

  * Antecedent Hematologic Disorder
  * AML Arising from MDS
  * Therapy-related AML
  * Age \>= 60 (in absence of favorable cytogenetics)
  * Adverse Cytogenetics (i.e., -5/5q, -7/7q, +8, 20q-, 11q23 abnormalities, complex karyotype; other abnormalities may be considered at discression of study chair)
  * Hyperleukocytosis at diagnosis (Blasts \>= 30,000/mm\^3 at diagnosis in absence of favorable cytogenetics)

High Risk MDS is defined by one or more of the following characteristics:

* RAEB and RAEB-t, with IPSS Score \>= 1.5 (adverse cytogenetics, \> 10% marrow blasts, cytopenias in at least 2 lineages): See Appendix E (Greenberg, et al. Blood 89:2079-2088,1997)36
* CMML with \> 5% marrow blasts
* Therapy-related MDS

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any previous treatment with ZARNESTRA
* Ongoing participation in any Phase II or III clinical trial where DFS and OS are primary endpoints (unless patient is withdrawn from that trial)
* Acute promyelocytic (FAB M3) subtype
* Presence of (8;21) translocation or inversion 16 genotype as sole abnormality
* Eligible for curative allogeneic stem cell transplantation
* Known allergy to imidazole drugs (e.g., ketoconazole, miconazole)
* Presence of Residual AML (\> 5% marrow blasts) or MDS, as Determined by Morphology, Flow Cytometry, and/or Cytogenetics
* Active, Uncontrolled Infection
* Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
* Active CNS Leukemia
* Concomitant Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy or Immunotherapy
* Women who are pregnant or lactating will not be eligible for this trial, as the investigational agent may be harmful to the developing fetus or nursing infant