Decitabine and Tretinoin in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) * International Prognostic scoring system (IPSS) score ≥ 0.5, including the following: * Untreated or treated intermediate-1 risk disease * Intermediate-2 risk disease * High-risk disease * No treatment-related MDS * Ineligible for transplantation * No decitabine-refractory disease defined as disease progression after discontinuation of therapy * If previously treated with decitabine, must have responded to therapy (hematologic improvement or better per International Working Group Response Criteria) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 60-100% * Bilirubin ≤ 2.5 mg/dL * AST and ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other medical condition that, in the opinion of the treating physician, would preclude patient compliance or put patient at excessive risk of treatment-related toxicity * No other malignancy that would likely require systemic chemotherapy within 4 months after starting study treatment * No allergy to parabens, vitamin A, or retinoids PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Prior azacytidine allowed * More than 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy * More than 4 weeks since prior experimental therapy * Concurrent myeloid growth factors al…