OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the ability of myeloablative chemotherapy followed by peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation to restore effective marrow hematopoieses in patients with advanced idiopathic myelofibrosis or myelofibrosis secondary to other myeloproliferative disorders. II. Determine the ability of this regimen to palliate symptoms and prolong survival in these patients. III. Determine if there is evidence of clonal hematopoieses before PBSC mobilization, in the PBSC product, and after transplantation in these patients. IV. Correlate the properties of the peripheral blood before mobilization and the PBSC product with engraftment in these patients. V. Correlate the markers of angiogenesis with clinical parameters in these patients.