Multi-Center, Randomized Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Immunotherapy With Subcutaneous Maxamine (Histamine Dihydrochloride) Plus Proleukin (Interleukin-2) Versus No Treatment (Standard of Care) in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in First or Subsequent Complete Remission (CR)

Study start date: July 1, 1998

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Cytologically confirmed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR) or subsequent CR Less than 5% blasts in normal bone marrow Less than 3 months since last dose of chemotherapy OR Less than 6 months since achieving CR PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: WHO 0-1 OR Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Greater than 3 months Hematopoietic: WBC at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 Hepatic: PTT normal Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular: No class III or IV heart disease No hypotension, severe hypertension, or serious or uncontrolled cardiac dysrhythmia (e.g., ventricular arrhythmias) No acute myocardial infarction within the past 12 months No active uncontrolled angina pectoris No symptomatic arteriosclerotic blood vessel disease Pulmonary: No history of asthma within the past 5 years Other: No other active malignancies except localized basal or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix HIV negative No prior or active peptic or esophageal ulcer disease No history of hypersensitivity to histamine or histamine products, or severe allergies Not pregnant or nursing PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Prior autologous stem cell transplantation allowed No prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation No other concurrent immunomodulating agents Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Prior induction or consolidation therapy allowed No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: At least 24 hours since prior corticosteroids No concurrent steroids Radiotherapy: Not specified Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent alternative therapy (e.g., laetrile, Brudzinski's treatment, etc.)