Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed myelodysplastic syndrome: Refractory anemia (RA), refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) No patients with refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB-t) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 15 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100 Hematopoietic: Platelet count greater than 20,000 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.6 mg/dL SGOT less than 150 U/L Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No symptoms of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, edema, clinically manifest hypotension, presence of cardiac arrhythmias on EKG, or severe hypertension Pulmonary: No significant pleural effusion, dyspnea at rest or severe exertional dyspnea Other: No patients with nephrotic syndrome No uncontrolled infections or active peptic ulcer disease No serious intercurrent medical illness Not pregnant or nursing Adequate contraception required of all patients PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: At least 2 weeks since corticosteroid therapy At least 4 weeks since other endocrine therapy Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified