Vorinostat in Treating Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Relapsed AML in the following categories: * Good-risk cytogenetics \[inv(16), t (8;21)\] in second relapse or in first relapse following a remission of \< 12 months * Acute promyelocytic leukemia (M3) in second relapse or greater AND must have relapsed following both tretinoin-anthracycline-based therapy and arsenic trioxide-based therapy * All other relapsed patients are eligible * Untreated AML in the following categories: * At least 65 years of age * Myelodysplastic syndromes-AML (AML with trilineage dysplasia) * AML with del5Q or monosomy 5, monosomy 7, or complex cytogenetics (≥ 3 cytogenetic abnormalities) * Refused or ineligible for potentially curative options such as allogeneic stem cell transplantation * No clinical evidence of CNS or pulmonary leukostasis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or CNS leukemia * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 or Karnofsky PS ≥ 60% * Life expectancy ≥ 3 months * Bilirubin normal unless attributed to hemolysis or Gilbert's disease in the opinion of the investigator * AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to vorinostat * No uncontrolled intercurrent illness, including any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No known HIV positivity * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * More than 2 weeks since prior valproic acid * More than 3 weeks since other prior treatment for AML, including hematopoietic growth factors * Hydroxyurea for WBC \> 30,000/mm\^3 allowed * Recovered from prior therapy * No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF), sargramostim (GM-CSF), epoetin alfa, or darbepoetin alfa * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies for this cancer