Purpose

This randomized phase III trial studies cytarabine and daunorubicin hydrochloride or idarubicin and cytarabine with or without vorinostat to see how well they work in treating younger patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cytarabine, daunorubicin hydrochloride, idarubicin, and vorinostat, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, stopping them from dividing, or by stopping from spreading. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) and giving the drugs in different doses and in different combinations may kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known which combination chemotherapy is more effective in treating acute myeloid leukemia.