Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Who Have Received Chemotherapy

INCLUSION CRITERIA * Diagnostic bone marrow aspirate/ biopsy or peripheral blood confirming AML. * At the time of diagnosis, patients must have c-kit (also known as CD117) positive AML (20% or more of the blasts express c-kit\[CD117\]). * A flow scattergram (from the diagnostic AML specimen) must be available to calculate a c-kit MFI. * Patients must have received standard induction chemotherapy with ADE (cytarabine, daunorubicin, and etoposide) or with 7+3 (7 days of cytarabine continuous infusion and 3 days of an anthracycline (idarubicin, daunorubicin, or mitoxantrone). Patients with persistent leukemia on a Day 10-28 marrow may have received a second course of chemotherapy. * After the completion of induction therapy, patients must have attained a complete remission based on blood count recovery (neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/µL, platelet count ≥ 100,000/µL), and bone marrow aspirate and biopsy (\< 5% myeloblasts). * For patients \< 60 years of age, patients must have received at least 2 courses of post-remission therapy with at least intermediate dose (400 mg/m2/day). \*Patients with t(8;21) or inversion 16 at the time of diagnosis must have received at least 2 courses of high dose cytarabine. For patients \> or = 60 years of age, patients must have received 1 course of post-remission therapy (the type of chemotherapy will not be specified). * Patients must be registered on this study (maintenance Imatinib mesylate) within 60 days of the last dose of post-remission therapy. * A bone marrow aspirate and/or biopsy must be done within 3 weeks of registration documenting CR. * Women of childbearing potential and sexually active males must use an effective method of contraception. * Female patients of childbearing potential must have negative pregnancy test within 7 days before initiation of study drug dosing. Postmenopausal women must be amenorrheic for at least 12 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential. Male and female patients of reproductive potential must agree to employ an effective barrier method of birth control throughout the study and for up to 3 months following discontinuation of study drug. * ECOG Performance Status 0-2. * Creatinine must be ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal. * Total bilirubin must be ≤ 2 mg/dl and AST and ALT must be ≤ 2 times the upper limit of normal. * Previous treatment-related toxicities must have resolved to ≤ Grade 1 excluding alopecia. * Written, voluntary informed consent. EXCLUSION CRITERIA * Acute promyelocytic leukemia. * Patients with an autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplant. * History of HIV. * Pregnant or breast-feeding. * Serious or poorly controlled medical conditions that would interfere with the protocol. * At the time of study entry, any medications which could significantly interact with imatinib mesylate must be discontinued. * Patients with active extramedullary disease are not eligible. * Patient has received any other investigational agents within 28 days of first day of study drug dosing. * Patient is \< 5 years free of another primary malignancy except: if the other primary malignancy is not currently clinically significant nor requiring active intervention, or if other primary malignancy is a basal cell skin cancer or a cervical carcinoma in situ. Existence of any other malignant disease is not allowed. * Patient with Grade III/IV cardiac problems as defined by the New York Heart Association Criteria. (i.e., congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction within 6 months of study) * Patient has known chronic liver disease (i.e., chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhosis). * Patient previously received radiotherapy to ≥ 25 % of the bone marrow * Patient had a major surgery within 2 weeks prior to study entry. * Patient with any significant history of non-compliance to medical regimens or with inability to grant reliable informed consent.