Reduced-Intensity Busulfan and Fludarabine With or Without Antithymocyte Globulin Followed by Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Hematologic Cancer or Other Disease

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), meeting the following criteria:
• Absolute lymphocyte count > 5,000/mm³
• Lymphocytes must appear morphologically mature with 5,000/mm³
• More than 55% prolymphocytes
• Morphologically diagnosed
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), meeting the following criteria:
• Diagnosis of CML or similar myeloproliferative disorders based on t(9;22) or related t(9;12) cytogenetic abnormalities AND characterized by elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts in peripheral blood or bone marrow
• In first chronic phase CML and a candidate for treatment with reduced-dose busulfan
• Patients with other cytogenetic abnormalities, such as t(9;12), that are associated with an aggressive clinical course are eligible
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), meeting the following criteria:
• Any World Health Organization (WHO) class histologic subtype allowed
• Core biopsies are acceptable provided they contain adequate tissue for primary diagnosis and immunophenotyping
• Bone marrow biopsies as sole means of diagnosis are not allowed for follicular lymphoma
• Hodgkin's lymphoma, meeting the following criteria:
• Any WHO class histologic subtype allowed
• Core biopsies are acceptable provided they contain adequate tissue for primary diagnosis and immunophenotyping
• Multiple myeloma, meeting the following criteria:
• Active disease requiring treatment (Durie-Salmon stages I, II, or III)
• Acute myeloid leukemia with documented control, defined as 30,000/mm³ at presentation
• Non-T-cell phenotype
• More than 30 years of age
• Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia/myelofibrosis
• Patients who are transfusion dependent or who have evolving myelodysplastic or leukemic features or high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities are eligible
• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) as defined by WHO criteria
• Meets 1 of the following criteria:
• Over 55 years of age
• Ineligible for busulfan-based therapy based on diminished organ function or poor performance status
• Indolent and chemotherapy-responsive CLL, low-grade NHL, small lymphocytic lymphoma, or PLL
• Patients who have undergone prior autologous stem cell transplantation are preferentially enrolled on clinical trial CALGB-100002, if available and patient is eligible
• HLA-matched or mismatched related donor or HLA-matched unrelated donor available
• HLA-identical sibling (6/6 or 9/10) (minimal serologic typing required for class I [A, B]; molecular typing required for class II (DRB1))
• 9/10 matched unrelated donor (MUD) (molecular analysis at HLA A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1 by high resolution typing required)
• 5/6 MUD (molecular analysis at HLA A, B, and DRB1 required)
• No syngeneic donors

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min
• Bilirubin ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 3 times ULN
• Diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) > 40% with no symptomatic pulmonary disease
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 30% by multigated acquisition scan (MUGA)
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or active serious infection
• No known hypersensitivity to Escherichia coli-derived products
• No HIV infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy (except prophylactic cranial x-ray therapy), or surgery