OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxic effects and feasibility of using filgrastim in promoting hematopoietic recovery and leukemia control after intensive but nonmyeloablative salvage chemotherapy. II. Determine the engraftment kinetics and degree of chimerism achievable.

OUTLINE: The trial will have 2 patient groups. Patients not in remission are assigned to group 1, while patients in remission are assigned to group 2. Then, groups are divided into 2 treatment arms. Patients failing fludarabine therapy receive cytarabine (Ara-C) IV over 2 hours on days -7, -6, -5, -4 and -3. Beginning 4 hours before the first dose of Ara-C, patients receive cladribine (2-chlorodeoxyadenosine; 2-CdA) by continuous infusion for 5 days. Patients without prior fludarabine therapy receive fludarabine IV over 30 minutes daily on days -6, -5, -4 and -3. Ara-C IV begins 4 hours after the beginning of the fludarabine infusion and continues for 4 hours. Idarubicin IV is given on days -6, -5 and -4. Donors receive filgrastim SC every 12 hours for 2 days prior to stem cell collection. Cells are infused on day 0. For GVHD prophylaxis, all patients receive cyclosporine via continuous IV infusion. Oral cyclosporine is administered once patients tolerate oral feeding and continued for 6 months postinfusion. Then, the dose of cyclosporine is tapered 10% weekly until discontinued. Methyprednisolone begins 5 days after infusion and is gradually tapered.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 15 patients per arm are likely to be entered in 24 to 36 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Acute leukemia with poor risk cytogenetic features (-5,-7, +8) in first complete remission Poor risk myelodysplasia Refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) RAEB in transformation (RAEB-T) Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in late chronic phase Acute leukemia with greater than first complete remission or transformed CML or CMML

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 55 to 65 65 to 70 (at the discretion of study chairperson on basis of performance status) 55 and under (if declined for conventional high dose chemotherapy due to concurrent medical conditions (i.e. ejection fraction less than 50, FEV1, FVC, or DLCO less than 50%, abnormal LFTs) Performance status: Zubrod less than 2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 3 mg/dL Renal: Serum creatinine less than 2 mg/dL Cardiovascular: Ejection fraction greater than 40% per MUGA scan Pulmonary: Not specified Other: No active uncontrolled infection HLA compatible donor capable of donating stem cells via apheresis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Not specified