• Event-free survival as assessed by time to treatment failure, occurrence of second malignant neoplasm, or death from any cause [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Survival as assessed by time to death [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Newly diagnosed disseminated lymphoblastic lymphoma or localized lymphoblastic lymphoma*

  • Less than 25% tumor cells in the bone marrow
  • Previously untreated (prior intrathecal cytarabine allowed if protocol therapy begins within 72 hours)
  • Stage III or IV disease
• NOTE: *Localized lymphblastic lymphoma is closed to accrual as of 10/2005

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 1 to 30

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Cardiovascular:

• Adequate cardiac function

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• Emergency steroid therapy (if required) must be started within 72 hours prior to protocol therapy

Radiotherapy:

• Emergency radiotherapy (if required) must be started within 72 hours prior to protocol therapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other prior therapy except for emergency treatment of airway obstruction and/or superior vena cava syndrome