DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven acute myelogenous leukemia by bone marrow aspirate or biopsy Clear evidence of relapse or residual disease with greater than 5% blasts on bone marrow examination or greater than 30% peripheral blasts No active CNS leukemia Not eligible for potentially curative allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation without further surgery Must have failed to achieve a complete remission with conventional chemotherapy (cytarabine based) or have relapsed within 12 months after initial remission