OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response rate to azacitidine plus amifostine in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. II. Evaluate the toxicity of this treatment regimen in these patients. III. Assess the rate of progression to acute myeloid leukemia and overall survival in these patients treated with this regimen. IV. Evaluate the relationship between response status and cytogenetics, FAB class, ras mutations, and the presence of nonclonal hematopoiesis with this treatment regimen in these patients. V. Assess the effect of this treatment regimen on the number of bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells in these patients. VI. Evaluate neutrophil adhesion and chemotaxis in these patients before and after this treatment regimen.