Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) * Requires treatment or transfusion support for MDS, as indicated by 1 of the following: * Demonstrates transfusion or epoetin alfa dependence * Transfusion dependence is defined as requiring ≥ 2 units of packed RBCs within an 8-week period prior to study entry * Hemoglobin \< 11g/dL on 2 separate occasions 2 weeks apart * No iron, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B\_12), or folic acid deficiency or other causes of anemia * Must have 1 of the following FAB subtypes: * Refractory anemia * Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts * Refractory anemia with excess blasts * Secondary MDS (if ≥ 3 years since active primary cancer) * No chronic myelomonocytic leukemia * Not refractory to platelet transfusion support (i.e., inability to maintain platelet count \> 20,000/mm\^3 with transfusion) * No current acute myelogenous leukemia (e.g., \> 30% blasts) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status * Karnofsky 50-100% Life expectancy * At least 6 months Hematopoietic * See Disease Characteristics Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL * AST and ALT \< 2 times upper limit of normal Renal * Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min Cardiovascular * No significant cardiovascular condition that would preclude study participation * No uncontrolled hypertension Pulmonary * No significant pulmonary condition that would preclude study participation Immunologic * No serious concurrent infection * Active infections must be adequately treated with antibiotics prior to study entry * No hypersensitivity to bortezomib, boron, or mannitol Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 4 weeks after completion of study treatment * No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No uncontrolled seizure activity, as defined by no activity within the past year on stable anticonvulsant medications * No other malignancy within the past 3 years except adequately treated basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No endocrine, neurologic, or other systemic disease that would preclude study entry PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics * No prior allogeneic bone marrow transplantation * Concurrent transfusion support allowed * Concurrent epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa allowed if initiated before start of study therapy, dose is stable for ≥ 4 weeks, and dose is stable during study participation * No concurrent platelet growth factor support * No concurrent thalidomide Chemotherapy * No concurrent chemotherapy * No concurrent hydroxyurea Endocrine therapy * Concurrent corticosteroids for chronic autoimmune or inflammatory condition allowed if initiated before start of study therapy and maintained on a stable or decreasing dose Other * Recovered from all prior therapies * At least 4 weeks since prior MDS therapy, except epoetin alfa, darbepoetin alfa, filgrastim (G-CSF), pegfilgrastim (G-CSF), or transfusion support * At least 30 days since prior investigational agents * No prior bortezomib * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent therapy for MDS