DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia (T-LGL) as defined by the following:

  • Peripheral blood smear or bone marrow biopsy/aspirate with morphological findings consistent with LGL
  • Absolute CD3+, CD8+, and usually CD57+ cell (T-LGL) count ≥ 1,000/mm^3 in the peripheral blood or bone marrow by flow cytometry
  • At least 50% of the CD3+/CD8+ cells must also express CD122

• T-LGL-associated hemocytopenia, defined by at least 1 of the following:

  • Absolute granulocyte count < 1,000/mm^3
  • Platelet count < 100,000/mm^3
  • Hemoglobin < 9.0 g/dL
  • Received at least 3 red blood cell product transfusions within the past 6 months
• No symptomatic CNS involvement by leukemia

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• Over 18

Performance status

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 2 months

Hematopoietic

• See Disease Characteristics
• Platelet count ≥ 10,000/mm^3 (no transfusion)

Hepatic

• Bilirubin < 2.0 mg/dL
• SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
• Hepatitis C antibody negative

Renal

• Creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• No acute myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No unstable angina
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No symptomatic cerebrovascular disease
• No stroke within the past 6 months

Pulmonary

• No respiratory insufficiency requiring oxygen therapy

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
• HIV negative
• Human T cell lymphotrophic virus I/II negative
• No prior grade III or greater toxicity or allergic reaction attributed to humanized monoclonal antibodies or study drug
• No other serious medical condition that would preclude study participation
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years requiring treatment except basal cell skin cancer, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or any other prior malignancy with a ≤ 10% probability of recurrence
• No serious active infection requiring systemic anti-infective therapy
• No other physical or psychological condition that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Prior humanized monoclonal antibody MiK-beta-1 allowed provided patient has not developed human anti-mouse or human anti-human antibodies
• Prior epoetin alfa, interleukin-11 (IL-11), filgrastim (G-CSF), or sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• At least 4 weeks since prior interferon
• Concurrent epoetin alfa, G-CSF, GM-CSF, or IL-11 allowed provided dose has been stable for more than 4 weeks before study entry
• No other concurrent monoclonal antibody therapy
• No concurrent interferon

Chemotherapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Prior corticosteroids allowed
• Concurrent steroids allowed provided dose has been stable (< 25 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) for at least 3 weeks before study entry

Radiotherapy

• Not specified

Surgery

• Prior splenectomy allowed

Other

• At least 4 weeks since prior cyclosporine
• No concurrent immunosuppression for an organ graft
• No other concurrent investigational agents