RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) together with rituximab may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with rituximab works in treating patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that has not responded to fludarabine (closed to entry as of 10/2006), CLL with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or Richter transformation.
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Rate of remission
Quality of remission