Aminopterin in Treating Patients With Refractory Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven acute leukemia of any histologic type that
is refractory to known effective therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Performance status: Karnofsky 50-100% Life
expectancy: At least 6 weeks Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater
than 1.5 mg/dL ALT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine normal
for age Cardiovascular: No unstable angina No uncontrolled arrhythmia Pulmonary: No third
space effusion Other: No severe uncontrolled infection Adequate nutritional status At least
third percentile for weight Normal total serum protein Normal albumin/globulin ratio No
serious concurrent physical or mental illness Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must
use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 3 months since prior bone marrow
transplantation Recovered from prior biologic therapy No concurrent anticancer biologic
therapy Chemotherapy: Recovered from prior chemotherapy No concurrent anticancer
chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Recovered from prior endocrine therapy No concurrent
anticancer endocrine therapy No concurrent dexamethasone or other steroids as antiemetic
agents Radiotherapy: No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No
concurrent dairy products for 2-4 hours before, during, or 2-4 hours after study drug No
concurrent trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or dapsone as prophylaxis for Pneumocystis
infection No concurrent multivitamins containing folic acid