Caspofungin Versus Fluconazole in Preventing Invasive Fungal Infections (IFI) in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have one of the following diagnoses and/or treatment plans:

  * Newly diagnosed de novo AML
  * First or subsequent relapse of AML
  * Secondary AML
  * Treatment with institutional standard AML therapy in those without AML (for example, myelodysplastic syndrome, bone marrow blasts \> 5% or biphenotypia)
  * Note: Patients with a history of prolonged antifungal therapy (example, relapsed AML) are eligible
* Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \>= 70 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 OR a serum creatinine based on age/gender as follows:

  * =\< 0.4 mg/dL (age 1 month to \< 6 months)
  * =\< 0.5 mg/dL (age 6 months to \< 1 year)
  * =\< 0.6 mg/dL (age 1 to \< 2 years)
  * =\< 0.8 mg/dL (age 2 to \< 6 years)
  * =\< 1 mg/dL (age 6 to \< 10 years)
  * =\< 1.2 mg/dL (age 10 to \< 13 years)
  * =\< 1.4 mg/dL (females age \>= 13 years)
  * =\< 1.5 mg/dL (males age 13 to \< 16 years)
  * =\< 1.7 mg/dL (males age \>= 16 years)
* Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age AND Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (aspartate aminotransferase \[AST\]) or serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) (alanine aminotransferase \[ALT\]) \< 2.5 x ULN for age
* All patients and/or their parents or legal guardians must sign a written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with the following diagnoses are not eligible:

  * Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)
  * Down syndrome
  * Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML)
* Patients with a documented history of invasive fungal infection (IFI) within the previous 30 days are not eligible
* Patients with a history of echinocandin or fluconazole hypersensitivity are not eligible
* Patients receiving treatment for an IFI are not eligible
* Female patients of childbearing age must have a negative pregnancy test
* Patients must agree to use an effective birth control method
* Lactating patients must agree not to nurse a child while on this trial