DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of hematological malignancy

  • No chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, de novo acute leukemia in first remission, or myelodysplastic syndromes with refractory anemia
• Scheduled for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors
• Currently receiving conditioning regimen comprising cyclosporine and total body radiotherapy (1,200 to 1,350 cGy) or busulfan and cyclosporine

• Donor must be typed to the highest level of resolution

  • One single non-serologic disparity for A, B, or C alleles allowed provided the disparity is within the third or fourth digit of the allele
  • No mismatch at DRB1 or DQB1

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• Per primary treatment protocol

Performance status

• Not specified

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Not specified

Hepatic

• SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.0 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin normal
• Hepatitis B and C virus negative

Renal

• Creatinine clearance ≥ 70 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No cardiac insufficiency requiring treatment
• No coronary artery disease

Pulmonary

• No acute pulmonary infection by chest x-ray
• No severe hypoxemia with pO_2 < 70 mm Hg AND DLCO < 70% of predicted
• No mild hypoxemia with pO_2 < 80 mm Hg AND DLCO < 60% of predicted

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• HIV negative
• No active systemic infection
• No known hypersensitivity to macrolide antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin, azithromycin, or clarithromycin)
• No prior intolerance or unresponsiveness to sirolimus

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent T-cell depleted transplantations

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• No concurrent grapefruit juice
• No concurrent voriconazole