Description:
This randomized phase II trial studies how well decitabine works when given together with daunorubicin hydrochloride and cytarabine in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as decitabine, daunorubicin hydrochloride, and cytarabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Decitabine may help daunorubicin hydrochloride and cytarabine kill more cancer cells by making them more sensitive to the drugs. It is not yet known whether low-dose decitabine is more effective than high-dose decitabine when giving together with daunorubicin hydrochloride and cytarabine in treating acute myeloid leukemia.