DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of one of the following malignancies:

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) of B- or T-cell lineage
  • Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL eligible
  • Lymphoblastic lymphoma
  • Chronic myelogenous leukemia in lymphoid blast crisis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 20-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Glucocorticoids for higher bilirubin allowed prior to entry, at principal investigator's discretion

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Glucocorticoids or renal radiotherapy for higher creatinine allowed prior to entry, at principal investigator's discretion

Cardiovascular:

• Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 50%

Other:

• Not pregnant

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior biologic therapy

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No prior endocrine therapy

Radiotherapy

• No prior radiotherapy

Surgery

• No prior surgery