OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the efficacy of high dose cytarabine with mitoxantrone and amifostine as induction therapy for patients with previously untreated standard risk acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). II. Assess the effects of amifostine on the biology of AML cells in vivo in these patients. III. Determine whether there is a relationship between cytokine production before and during remission induction therapy and treatment outcome.