OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation, multicenter study of cytarabine. Patients receive cytarabine IV over 24 hours on days 1-4 of each course. Patients receive UCN-01 IV over 24 hours on days 2-4 of course 1 and over 36 hours beginning on day 2 of subsequent courses. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for a maximum of 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of cytarabine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose at which 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicity.