High Dose Ara-C (HDAC) and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) for Patients With Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)

• The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of IL-2 to generate cytotoxic and inhibitory activity against cryopreserved autologous leukemic myeloblasts obtained at the time of diagnosis.
  

• To evaluate the safety of continuous infusion IL-2 with intermittent IL-2 boluses in patients with AML who have received 3 cycles of post-remission intensification therapy with high-dose ara-C
  
• To assess additional immunologic effects of IL-2
  
• To obtain preliminary data regarding the rate of disease relapse
  

Patients will receive standard remission induction therapy with daunorubicin at a dose of 45 mg/m2/day for 3 days and continuous infusion cytarabine at a dose of 200 mg/m2/day for 7 days.

Those patients who enter a remission status and have preserved liver and kidney function will then receive 3 cycles of post-remission therapy that will consist of high-dose cytarabine at a dose of 3000 mg/m2 every 12 (q12) hours on days 1, 3 and 5 (total of 6 doses).

Patients who are still in remission will receive interleukin-2 (IL-2) upon count recovery at a dose of 8.1 X 10^5 U/m2/day by continuous infusion for 10 weeks. In addition, patients will receive bolus IL-2 at a dose of 6 X 10^5 U/m2 by intravenous bolus weekly for 6 doses through day 63.

Patients will be seen on a weekly basis while on treatment for examination and bloodwork.

At the end of treatment, patients will have a physical exam and bloodwork performed monthly for two years, then 4 times per year for two years.