Bortezomib in Treating Young Patients With Refractory or Recurrent Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria: Histologically confirmed leukemia of 1 of the following types: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia Chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis Relapsed or refractory disease Immunophenotypically confirmed disease, either at initial diagnosis or relapse More than 25% blasts in the bone marrow (M3 bone marrow) Active extramedullary disease (except leptomeningeal disease) allowed No known curative therapy or therapy proven to prolong survival with an acceptable quality of life available Performance status - Karnofsky 50-100% (for patients age 11 to 21) Performance status - Lansky 50-100% (for patients age 10 and under) Platelet count ≥ 20,000/mm^3* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL* WBC < 20,000/mm^3** (hydroxyurea for cytoreduction allowed) No hyperleukocytosis (i.e., WBC > 100,000/mm^3) Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) ALT ≤ 5 times ULN Albumin ≥ 2 g/dL Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate ≥ 70 mL/min Creatinine based on age as follows: ≤ 0.8 mg/dL for patients age 5 and under ≤ 1.0 mg/dL for patients age 6 to 10 ≤ 1.2 mg/dL for patients age 11 to 15 ≤ 1.5 mg/dL for patients age 16 to 21 Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No uncontrolled infection Recovered from prior immunotherapy At least 7 days since prior filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF) At least 7 days since prior biologic agents At least 3 months since prior stem cell transplantation or rescue and no evidence of active graft-versus-host disease No concurrent prophylactic G-CSF during course 1 of study No concurrent immunotherapy No concurrent biologic therapy Recovered from prior chemotherapy At least 24 hours since prior hydroxyurea for cytoreduction At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas No concurrent chemotherapy At least 7 days since prior steroids (except as premedication prior to blood product transfusion) Recovered from prior radiotherapy At least 2 weeks since prior small port local palliative radiotherapy At least 3 months since prior total body irradiation, craniospinal irradiation, or irradiation to more than 50% of the pelvis At least 6 weeks since other prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy At least 7 days since prior retinoids No other concurrent investigational agents No other concurrent anticancer agents No concurrent anticonvulsant medications known to activate the cytochrome p450 system (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital) Concurrent benzodiazepines and gabapentin are allowed