OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study. Patients receive deoxycytidine IV over 120 hours. Beginning 12 hours after initiation of deoxycytidine, patients receive high dose cytarabine IV over 96 hours. Patients achieving complete response receive no further therapy. Patients achieving partial response or initial complete response and subsequent relapse receive an additional course of therapy. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of deoxycytidine and high dose cytarabine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicities.