Fludarabine, Total-Body Irradiation, and Donor Stem Cell Transplant Followed By Cyclosporine and Mycophenolate Mofetil in Treating Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), meeting 1 of the following criteria: * First or second chronic phase * Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) disease by cytogenetics or fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) * First accelerated phase, meeting any of the following criteria: * More than 10% but \< 30% myeloblasts and promyelocytes in bone marrow or peripheral blood * Any additional clonal cytogenetic abnormalities * Increasing splenomegally * Extramedullary tumor * WBC, platelet count, or hematocrit pertubations not controlled by therapy with hydroxyurea, interferon, or imatininb mesylate * Persistent unexplained fever or bone pain * Less than 5% blasts in marrow at time of transplant * No blast crisis * No other curative therapy exists * Received prior imatinib mesylate AND meets ≥ 1 of the following criteria: * Hematologic evidence of disease progression * Lack of complete hematologic response after 3 months of treatment with imatinib mesylate * Cytogenetic evidence of disease progression, defined as an increase in Ph+ cells or BCR/ABL-positive (BCR/ABL+) cells of \> 25% * Lack of complete cytogenetic remission (no Ph+ cells by cytogenetic analysis or BCR/ABL+ cells by FISH) after 1 year of treatment with imatinib mesylate * At least 65% Ph+ cells by cytogenetic analysis or BCR/ABL+ cells by FISH after 6 months of treatment with imatinib mesylate * Less than 3-log reduction in BCR/ABL mRNA levels by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) compared to a standard baseline level after 1 year of treatment with imatinib mesylate * Molecular evidence of disease progression, defined as \> 1 log increase in BCR/ABL mRNA levels by Q-PCR, detected in 2 samples * Experienced adverse events with imatinib mesylate treatment that would preclude further administration of the drug * Patient refused further treatment with imatinib mesylate despite lack of disease progression * Refused conventional myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation OR at high risk for regimen-related toxicity due to pre-existing medical conditions (for patients \< 50 years of age) * Unrelated donor available * Matched at HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 by high-resolution typing * A single allele\* disparity for HLA-A, -B, or -C allowed * Negative anti-donor cytotoxic crossmatch * Not a marrow donor NOTE: \*Patient and donor pairs homozygous at a mismatched allele (e.g., the patient is A\*0101 and the donor is A\*0201) are considered a two-allele mismatch and are not allowed * No CNS involvement with disease that is refractory to intrathecal chemotherapy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * Any age Performance status * Karnofsky 70-100% * Lanksy 50-100% (for pediatric patients) Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * See Disease Characteristics Hepatic * No fulminant liver failure * No cirrhosis of the liver with evidence of portal hypertension * No alcoholic hepatitis * No esophageal varices * No history of bleeding esophageal varices * No hepatic encephalopathy * No uncorrectable hepatic synthetic dysfunction evidenced by prolongation of PT * No ascites related to portal hypertension * No bacterial or fungal liver abscess * No biliary obstruction * No chronic viral hepatitis AND bilirubin \> 3 mg/dL * No symptomatic biliary disease Renal * Not specified Cardiovascular * Ejection fraction ≥ 40% * No cardiac failure requiring therapy * No poorly controlled hypertension (i.e., blood pressure ≥ 150/90 mm Hg despite standard medication) Pulmonary * DLCO ≥ 35% (corrected) * No requirement for supplementary continuous oxygen * Pulmonary nodules allowed at the discretion of the principal investigator Immunologic * HIV negative * No uncontrolled systemic infection * No fungal infection with radiological progression after treatment with amphotericin B or active triazole for \> 1 month Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 12 months after completion of study treatment * No other active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No prior localized malignancy at high risk (≥ 20%) of recurrence PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics * See Chemotherapy Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy * Imatinib mesylate and interferon are not considered cytotoxic chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified