Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Acute B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Acute B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing
 so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more cancer cells.

 PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating
 patients who have acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia or recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVES: I. Improve the survival of children and adolescents with poor-risk
 nonlymphoblastic lymphoma and acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia using an intensive, short-course
 regimen of combination chemotherapy. II. Assess the toxicity of the regimen.

 OUTLINE: Nonrandomized study. Induction: 7-Drug Combination Chemotherapy with Leucovorin
 Rescue plus Triple Intrathecal Therapy (TIT). Cyclophosphamide, CTX, NSC-26271; Thiotepa,
 TSPA, NSC-6396; Vincristine, VCR, NSC-67574; Daunorubicin, DNR, NSC-82151; Dexamethasone, DM,
 NSC-34521; Etoposide, VP-16, NSC-141540; Methotrexate, MTX, NSC-740; with Leucovorin calcium,
 Citrovorum Factor, CF, NSC-3590; plus TIT: IT MTX; IT Cytarabine, IT ARA-C, NSC-63878; IT
 Hydrocortisone, IT HC, NSC-10483. Consolidation: 6-Drug Combination Chemotherapy with
 Leucovorin Rescue plus TIT. ARA-C; VP-16; Asparaginase (E. coli), ASP, NSC-109229; MTX; VCR;
 Methylprednisolone, MePRDL, NSC-19987; with CF; plus TIT. Reinduction: 7-Drug Combination
 Chemotherapy with Leucovorin Rescue plus TIT. CTX; TSPA; VCR; DNR; DM; VP-16; MTX; with CF;
 plus TIT.

 PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 30 patients, accrued from 4 institutions, will be entered. If
 at any time more than 3 patients are not "event free", the trial will be terminated early,
 with patients considered event free if they enter remission, do not die as a result of
 treatment toxicity, and do not experience progression within 1 year from the start of
 therapy.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Newly diagnosed undifferentiated nonlymphoblastic non-Hodgkin's
 lymphoma (Burkitt's or non-Burkitt's) Newly diagnosed large cell lymphoma with CNS
 involvement Recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma L-3 and B-cell leukemia included At least 1 of
 the following required: LDH at least 500 IU/liter (old method) or 2,000 IU/liter (new
 method) Bone marrow involvement (greater than 5% lymphoblasts) CNS involvement
 (lymphoblasts on CSF cytospin or intracranial mass on CT or MRI scan)

 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not
 specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified

 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Prior therapy allowed for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma No prior therapy
 for all other diseases