OBJECTIVES: I. Define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of bryostatin 1 administered before and after high dose cytarabine in patients with refractory or relapsed acute myelocytic leukemia or acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, or refractory or relapsed lymphoblastic lymphoma. II. Describe the toxic effects of bryostatin 1 and high dose cytarabine in these patients. III. Describe the time course of bryostatin 1 induced modulation of leukemic blast total protein kinase C (PKC) activity. IV. Describe bryostatin 1 pharmacokinetics. V. Correlate bryostatin 1 induced modulation of leukemic cell PKC activity or leukemic cell maturation with high dose cytarabine mediated apoptosis.