PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 12 and over Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Greater than 4 weeks Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL AST no greater than 4 times normal Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 4 times normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL Cardiovascular: (Patients receiving idarubicin and cytarabine only) No history of cardiac disease OR Left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram Other: No uncontrolled serious infection HIV negative No active second malignancy except basal cell carcinoma Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile women must use effective contraception