17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin With or Without Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Prolymphocytic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia or prolymphocytic leukemia requiring treatment, defined by 1 of the following criteria:

  * Massive or progressive splenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy
  * Anemia (hemoglobin \< 11 g/dL) OR thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 100,000/mm\^3)
  * Weight loss \> 10% within the past 6 months
  * Grade 2 or 3 fatigue
  * Fevers \> 100.5°F or night sweats for \> 2 weeks with no evidence of infection
  * Progressive lymphocytosis with an increase of \> 50% over a 2 month period OR an anticipated doubling time of \< 6 months
* Relapsed disease
* Failed prior fludarabine or pentostatin therapy OR cannot receive fludarabine
* Lymphocyte count ≥ 5,000/mm\^3
* Performance status - ECOG 0-2
* Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
* More than 12 weeks
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* LVEF \> 40% by MUGA
* QTc \< 450 msec for male patients and \< 470 msec for female patients
* Resting ejection fraction ≥ 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No significant cardiac disease including any of the following:

  * New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
  * History of myocardial infarction within the past year
  * History of uncontrolled dysrhythmias
  * Active ischemic heart disease within the past year
  * Poorly controlled angina
* No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular fibrillation, history of symptomatic or sustained ventricular tachycardia, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia \> 3 beats within the past 6 months)
* No history of cardiac toxicity due to anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, or mitoxantrone hydrochloride)
* No other cardiac symptoms ≥ grade 2
* DLCO (i.e., oxygen diffusion capacity) ≥ 80% by pulmonary function testing
* Resting and exercise oxygen saturation ≥ 90% by pulse oximetry
* No pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2
* No history of pulmonary toxicity due to bleomycin or carmustine
* No significant, symptomatic pulmonary disease requiring oxygen or medications
* No ongoing pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2 including any of the following:

  * Dyspnea on or off exertion
  * Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
  * Significant pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease)
* No Medicare requirements for home oxygen (e.g., resting O\_2 saturations ≥ 90% or desaturation to ≥ 90% with exertion)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin
* No history of serious allergic reaction to eggs
* No ongoing or active infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No other uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation
* More than 3 months since prior rituximab and recovered
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy that potentially included the heart in the field (e.g., mantle)
* No history of chest radiation
* No concurrent medications that prolong or may prolong QTc
* No concurrent antiarrhythmic drugs
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy