DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

  • More than 25% lymphoblasts in bone marrow

    • Patients with myeloid antigen expression AND unequivocal lymphoid immunophenotype are eligible

• Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome status determined by cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and/or RNA analysis

  • Patients determined to be Ph chromosome negative by cytogenetics, but positive for BCR-ABL by FISH or polymerase chain reaction are considered Ph chromosome positive
  • Patients with Ph chromosome-positive disease may be up to age 65
• No myelodysplasia or other antecedent hematologic disorder

• Patients age 50 and under must be HLA typed during induction therapy of study treatment OR provide a written explanation for not undergoing HLA typing

  • A and B typing required
  • C and DR typing done if feasible

• Allogeneic stem cell transplantation patients must meet the following criteria:

  • Appropriate HLA histocompatible donor available

    • Ph chromosome-negative patients must have HLA identical sibling
    • Ph chromosome-positive patients must have HLA identical, HLA-matched unrelated, or haploidentical related donor

• Postinduction therapy:

  • CSF negative for leukemia
  • No occult or overt leukemic meningitis
  • Documented complete remission

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 15 to 65

Performance status:

• Induction therapy:

  • Not specified

• Postinduction therapy:

  • 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• See Disease Characteristics

Hepatic:

• Induction therapy:

  • Direct bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL

• Postinduction therapy:

  • Direct bilirubin < 2.0 mg/dL
  • SGPT or SGOT < 3 times normal

Renal:

• Induction therapy:

  • Creatinine < 2 mg/dL

• Postinduction therapy:

  • Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL
  • Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• Induction and postinduction therapy:

  • No significant cardiac disease requiring digoxin and/or diuretics
  • No major ventricular dysrhythmia requiring medication
  • No ischemic heart disease requiring medication

• Postinduction therapy:

  • Cardiac ejection fraction ≥ 50% for patients under consideration for transplantation

Pulmonary:

• Induction therapy:

  • Not specified

• Postinduction therapy:

  • FEV_1 ≥ 60% of predicted for patients under consideration for transplantation
  • DLCO ≥ 50% of predicted for patients under consideration for transplantation

Other:

• Induction and postinduction therapy:

  • HIV negative
  • No concurrent organ damage or other medical problem (e.g., psychiatric disorder or drug abuse) that would preclude study therapy
  • Not pregnant

• Postinduction therapy:

  • No persistent infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent umbilical cord allogeneic transplantation

Chemotherapy:

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior corticosteroids for ALL allowed

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• Induction and postinduction therapy:

  • No other prior therapy for ALL

• Postinduction therapy:

  • No concurrent antibiotics