Asparaginase Erwinia Chrysanthemi With Chemotherapy for the Treatment of High-Risk Adults With Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

This phase II trial tests the safety, side effects, and effectiveness of asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi during induction chemotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in treating high-risk adults with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma. Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi, a type of protein synthesis inhibitor, is a drug that is made up of the enzyme asparaginase, which comes from the bacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi, and is used with other drugs in people who cannot take asparaginase that comes from the bacterium E. coli. Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi breaks down the amino acid asparagine and may stop the growth of cancer cells that need asparagine to grow. It may also kill cancer cells. Induction therapy, consisting of cytarabine, dexamethasone, vincristine, daunorubicin, methotrexate, and rituximab, is the first choice of treatment. Consolidation therapy, consisting of cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, vincristine, mercaptopurine, methotrexate and rituximab, is given after initial therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Vincristine is in a class of medications called vinca alkaloids. It works by stopping cancer cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Methotrexate is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It is also a type of antifolate. Methotrexate stops cells from using folic acid to make deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill cancer cells. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody. It binds to a protein called CD20, which is found on B cells (a type of white blood cell) and some types of cancer cells. This may help the immune system kill cancer cells. Cyclophosphamide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the cell's DNA and may kill cancer cells. It may also lower the body's immune response. Cytarabine and mercaptopurine stop cells from making DNA and may kill cancer cells. They are a type of antimetabolite. Daunorubicin blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell d