Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Children With Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: I. Estimate the toxicity and feasibility of intensifying the New York I (NYI) regimen by adding etoposide and cytarabine, increasing the dose of methotrexate, using pegaspargase, and compressing the treatment duration (11 months) in previously untreated children with disseminated anaplastic (Ki-1 positive) large cell and large cell T-cell lymphoma. II. Provide preliminary data for a future phase III study that will compare this intensified regimen with the high-risk ALL regimen NYI in children with disseminated lymphoblastic lymphoma. III. Continue to investigate the immunophenotype, cytogenetics, and molecular biology of lymphoblastic lymphoma and their relationship to leukemia. IV. Obtain preliminary data on treatment of anaplastic large cell (Ki-1) and T-cell large cell lymphoma treated with intensive NYI. OUTLINE: Patients with CNS disease at diagnosis receive craniospinal irradiation on Regimen A at the conclusion of Maintenance chemotherapy. The following acronyms are used: ARA-C Cytarabine, NSC-63878 CF Leucovorin calcium, NSC-3590 CTX Cyclophosphamide, NSC-26271 DNR Daunorubicin, NSC-82151 DOX Doxorubicin, NSC-123127 G-CSF Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (Amgen), NSC-614629 MTX Methotrexate, NSC-740 PEG-ASP Pegaspargase, NSC-624239 PRED Prednisone, NSC-10023 TG Thioguanine, NSC-752 VCR Vincristine, NSC-67574 VP-16 Etoposide, NSC-141540 Induction: 5-Drug Combination Systemic Chemotherapy with Hematopoietic Stimulation plus 2-Drug Combination Intrathecal Chemotherapy. VCR/PRED/CTX/DNR/PEG-ASP; with G-CSF; plus IT ARA-C/IT MTX. Consolidation: 7-Drug Combination Systemic Chemotherapy with Hematopoietic Stimulation plus Single-Agent Intrathecal Chemotherapy. VCR/PRED/PEG-ASP/VP-16/TG/ARA-C/MTX/CF; with G-CSF; plus IT MTX. Maintenance: Sequential Pulses of 2-, 3-, 3-, and 2-Drug Systemic Chemotherapy Combinations plus Single-Agent Intrathecal Chemotherapy. CTX/TG/IT MTX; VCR/PRED/DOX; VCR/MTX/CF/PEG-ASP; ARA-C/VP-16. Regimen A: Radiotherapy. Craniospinal irradiation using megavoltage equipment. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: 40 patients will be entered over approximately 10 months. If 4 or more toxic deaths occur in the first 15 patients or 5 or more toxic deaths occur in the first 30 patients, accrual will stop. As of 05/96, asparaginase has been replaced with pegaspargase; 15-25 additional patients will be accrued. As of 01/97, a maximum of 35 patients will be accrued for PEG asparaginase-containing treatment regimen. As of 5/97, this study is open only to patients with anaplastic large cell and T cell large cell lymphoma. Approximately 60-90 patients will be accrued.