RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. White blood cells from donors may be able to prevent graft-versus-host disease in patients with hematologic cancer that has relapsed following donor peripheral stem cell transplantation. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of chemotherapy plus donor white blood cell infusion in treating patients who have relapsed hematologic cancer following donor peripheral stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the minimum amount of chemotherapy in combination with donor lymphocyte infusion required to obtain a rate of 30-60% graft versus host disease in patients with hematologic malignancies relapsed after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: This is a dose de-escalation study. Patients receive etoposide IV continuously on days 1-3; cyclophosphamide IV on day 8; donor lymphocyte infusion IV on day 10; and filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously or IV beginning on day 10 and continuing until blood counts recover. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive six de-escalating levels of chemotherapy until the minimum amount of chemotherapy in combination with donor lymphocyte infusion required to obtain a rate of 30-60% graft versus host disease (GVHD) is determined. The target dose level is defined as the level at which 2 of 6 patients develop GVHD, and the next lower dose level has no more than 1 patient experiencing GVHD. Patients are followed every 3 months for the first year, every 6 months for the second year, and yearly thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 18-21 patients will be accrued over 2 years.

Criteria

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

• Histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancy; Acute leukemia Myelodysplasia; Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; Hodgkin's disease; Multiple myeloma; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Chronic myeloid leukemia; Accelerated phase or blast crisis; Chronic phase with failed prior donor lymphocyte infusion
• No active acute or extensive chronic graft versus host disease
• Prior allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) required; At least 60 days since prior SCT; Nonmyeloablative SCT allowed

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

• Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics; At least 7 days since prior immunomodulatory medications (e.g., interferon or interleukin-2)
• Chemotherapy: Not specified
• Endocrine therapy: At least 7 days since prior steroids
• Radiotherapy: Not specified
• Surgery: Not specified
• Other: At least 7 days since prior immunosuppressives (e.g., cyclosporine, tacrolimus, or mycophenolate mofetil); No concurrent immunosuppressive medications for graft versus host disease

--Patient Characteristics--

• Age: Not specified
• Performance status: ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy: Greater than 4 weeks
• Hematopoietic: Not specified
• Hepatic: Not specified
• Renal: Not specified
• Other: No severe psychiatric illness that may preclude informed consent; Fertile patients must use effective contraception