Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Filgrastim and/or Tretinoin in Treating Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) including de novo or secondary AML, or a preexisting myelodysplastic syndrome * Overt resistant disease with more than 15% bone marrow blasts after induction course * Primary refractory disease * Failure to achieve first complete remission after at least 2 induction courses * Relapse from first remission with more than 5% bone marrow blasts * Complete or partial remission following 1 induction course with adverse cytogenetic abnormalities at diagnosis * No acute promyelocytic leukemia * No chronic myeloid leukemia in blast transformation * No prior relapse from a second or greater remission PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Any age Performance status: * Not specified Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Not specified Hepatic: * Not specified Renal: * Creatinine clearance at least 30 mL/min Other: * No other active malignancy * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified