7-Hydroxystaurosporine and Perifosine in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Leukemia, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia or High Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Inclusion Criteria: Histologically or cytologically confirmed hematologic malignancy of 1 of the following types: Relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) Patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia t(15;17) are eligible provided they failed a prior tretinoin and arsenic-containing regimen Patients should be either refractory to both agents (absence of durable hematologic response) OR relapsed after a complete response duration of < 6 months Relapsed or refractory pre-B-cell or T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in accelerated or blastic phase that is refractory to imatinib mesylate Must have evidence of disease progression despite continued treatment with imatinib mesylate AML arising in the setting of underlying myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and/or myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) Secondary or therapy-related AML De novo AML or pre-B-cell or T-cell ALL in adults > 60 years of age with poor-risk features, such as complex (≥ 3) or adverse cytogenetics The following are considered adverse cytogenetic abnormalities for AML: -5q 7q- 9q- 20q- abn12p +21 +8 t(6;9) t(6;11) t(11;19) -7 -5 inv3/t(3;3) abn11q23 abn17p abn21q t(9;22) refractory to imatinib mesylate The following are considered adverse cytogenetic abnormalities for ALL: t(9;22) refractory to imatinib mesylate Hypodiploidy t(4;11) t(1;19) Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) meeting 1 of the following criteria: Intermediate and high risk (i.e., International Prognostic Scoring System [IPSS] ≥ 1.5) MDS that is refractory or has progressed after treatment with azacitidine and/or decitabine Intermediate and high risk (i.e., IPSS ≥ 1.5) MDS with a 5q- cytogenetic abnormality that is refractory or has progressed after treatment with lenalidomide, azacitidine, or decitabine Intermediate 2 and high risk MDS without 5q- cytogenetic abnormality that is refractory or has progressed after azacitidine or decitabine Original 5q must also be refractory to lenalidomide Received OR ineligible for established curative regimens, including stem cell transplantation No active CNS leukemia ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS ≥ 60% Total or direct bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment No hyperleukocytosis (i.e., WBC > 30,000/mm^3) (recent treatment with hydroxyurea to prevent impending leukostasis allowed provided there has been no dose increase for ≥ 1 week) No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to UCN-01 or perifosine No intrinsic impaired organ function No active, uncontrolled infection Infection that is controlled with antibiotics allowed No symptomatic cardiac disease No active ischemia on EKG LVEF ≥ 40% by echocardiogram or MUGA Patients with a history of cardiac disease or mediastinal radiation should undergo testing of ventricular function No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude giving informed consent or complying with study requirements No HIV positivity See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy (6 weeks for carmustine or mitomycin C) and recovered At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered At least 4 weeks since prior autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) At least 90 days since prior allogeneic SCT No evidence of graft vs host disease At least 2 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors or biologic agents No other concurrent investigational agents, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy No other concurrent anticancer therapy