OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to disease (chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML] in first chronic phase after failing interferon therapy or demonstrating intolerance to interferon [closed to accrual as of 12/05/03] vs CML relapsing after stem cell transplantation or in second or subsequent chronic phase [closed to accrual as of 7/29/05] vs newly diagnosed CML in first chronic phase with no prior treatment [closed to accrual as of 7/29/05] vs newly diagnosed CML in first chronic phase with no prior treatment).