Etoposide, Prednisone, Vincristine Sulfate, Cyclophosphamide, and Doxorubicin in Treating Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Inclusion criteria

• Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis of either:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Lymphoblastic lymphoma with detectable abnormal blasts in the bone marrow
• In the opinion of the treating investigator, patients must be an unsuitable candidate for a pediatric-inspired regimen, reasons for which may include (but not be limited to) older age (i.e., >= 40 years), practical/logistical barriers to or toxicity concerns from administration of a pediatric-inspired regimen, or Ph+ disease
• Total bilirubin =< 2.0 x institutional upper limit of normal ([ULN]; unless attributable to Gilbert's disease or other causes of inherited indirect hyperbilirubinemia, at which point total bilirubin must be =< 4.0 x ULN)
• Aspartate aminotransferases (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 5.0 x institutional ULN; (Note: patients with liver test abnormalities attributable to hepatic involvement by ALL will be permitted if the total bilirubin is =< 5.0 x ULN and ALT/AST are =< 8.0 x ULN)
• Creatinine =< 2.0 mg/dL; however, patients with a creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL but with a calculated creatinine clearance of > 30 ml/min, as measured by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, will be eligible
• As patients with ALL frequently have cytopenias, no hematologic parameters will be required for enrollment or to receive the first cycle of treatment; however, adequate recovery of blood counts will be required to receive subsequent cycles)
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 to 2; (performance status of 3 will be allowed if poor performance status is thought to be directly secondary to ALL)
• Must agree to the use of effective contraception while on study treatment, unless they are highly unlikely to conceive (defined as [1] surgically sterilized, or [2] postmenopausal [i.e., a woman who is > 50 years old or who has not had menses for >= 1 year], or [3] not heterosexually active for the duration of the study)
• Ability to give informed consent and comply with the protocol
• Anticipated survival of at least 3 months, independent of ALL

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia
• Patients must not have received any prior systemic therapy for ALL, except for the acute management of hyperleukocytosis or acute symptoms (e.g., corticosteroids, cytarabine, etc.)
• Patients with isolated extramedullary disease or with known parenchymal central nervous system (CNS) disease
• Known hypersensitivity or intolerance to any of the agents under investigation
• Other medical or psychiatric conditions that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude safe participation in the protocol
• May not be pregnant or nursing