DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  • Myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) in aggressive phase or transformation, including the following:

    • Polycythemia vera (PV)
    • Essential thrombocythemia (ET)
    • Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia
    • Hypereosinophilic syndrome
    • Atypical (Philadelphia chromosome negative) chronic myelogenous leukemia (Ph- CML)
  • CML in accelerated phase or blast crisis
  • Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in aggressive phase (5-19% bone marrow blasts) or transformation (> 20% bone marrow blasts)

• Patients with aggressive phase MPD (PV, ET, or Ph- CML) must meet ≥ 1 of the following criteria:

  • Marrow blasts > 5%
  • Peripheral blood blasts plus progranulocytes > 10%
  • New onset or increasing myelofibrosis
  • New onset or > 25% increase in hepatomegaly or splenomegaly
  • New onset constitutional symptoms (fever, weight loss, splenic pain, bone pain)
• Multilineage bone marrow failure
• Ineligible for established curative regimens, including stem cell transplantation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times normal
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL unless due to leukemia, Gilbert's syndrome, or hemolysis
• No chronic toxicity from prior chemotherapy > grade 1
• No active heart disease
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No history of severe coronary artery disease
• No arrhythmias (other than atrial flutter or fibrillation) requiring medication
• No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
• No dyspnea at rest or with minimal exertion
• No severe pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen

• No known glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency

  • G6PD screening required for high-risk groups (i.e., patients of African, Asian, or Mediterranean origin/ancestry)

• No active uncontrolled infection

  • Infections under active treatment and controlled with antibiotics are allowed
• No chronic hepatitis
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to 3-AP (Triapine®) and/or fludarabine phosphate
• No other life-threatening illness
• No history of mental deficits and/or psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No more than 4 prior induction regimens (3 cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens)
• At least 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive cytotoxic agents (6 weeks for mitomycin C or nitrosoureas) and recovered
• At least 1 week since prior nonmyelosuppressive treatment

• At least 48 hours since prior noncytotoxic agents for peripheral blood leukemic cell count control, including but not limited to the following:

  • Hydroxyurea
  • Imatinib mesylate
  • Interferon
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Cyclophosphamide
• At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy to treat cancer
• At least 1 week since prior biologic therapy, including hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, filgrastim [G-CSF], sargramostim [GM-CSF], interleukin-3, or interleukin-11)
• No concurrent myeloid growth factors
• No other concurrent chemotherapy to treat cancer
• No concurrent immunotherapy to treat cancer