DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• 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

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• 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

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• 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