RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of CC-1088 in treating patients who have chronic lymphocytic leukemia that has not responded to previous therapy.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxicity of CC-1088 in patients with refractory, progressive, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. II. Determine the response rate to this treatment in these patients.

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: Patients receive oral CC-1088 three times a day for 28 days. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 11-20 patients will be accrued for this study.

Ages Eligible for Study:  18 Years and above

Criteria

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed refractory, progressive, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Failed prior first line therapy of chlorambucil or fludarabine (or their equivalent); Progressive disease as defined by at least one of the following: Greater than 50% increase in the sum of the products of at least 2 lymph nodes on two consecutive determinations 2 weeks apart (at least one lymph node must be greater than 2 cm); Appearance of new palpable lymph nodes; At least a 50% increase in size of previously palpable liver or spleen; Appearance of palpable hepatomegaly or splenomegaly not previously present; At least a 50% increase in the absolute lymphocyte count to at least 5,000/mm3; Transformation to an aggressive histology (e.g., Richter's or prolymphocytic leukemia)
• High risk OR Intermediate risk with active disease, as defined by the following: Greater than 10% weight loss; Extreme fatigue; Fevers greater than 100.5 Fahrenheit for greater than 2 weeks without infection; Night sweats; Splenomegaly greater than 6 cm; Lymphadenopathy greater than 10 cm; Lymphocytosis with a doubling time less than 6 months

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

• Biologic therapy: Not specified
• Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics
• Endocrine therapy: Not specified
• Radiotherapy: Not specified
• Surgery: Not specified

--Patient Characteristics--

• Age: 18 and over
• Performance status: ECOG or Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy: Not specified
• Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics
• Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN); ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other: Not pregnant; Negative pregnancy test; Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 weeks after study