Adverse events

Patients receive cytarabine intrathecally (IT) on day 1; daunorubicin hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 10-15 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; vincristine sulfate IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; dexamethasone orally (PO) daily on days 1-7 (and 15-21 for patients age \< 55 years only); methotrexate IT on day 14; pegaspargase intramuscularly (IM) or IV on day 18 (patients age \< 55 years); and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab IV on day 8 and 15. Beginning on day 29, patients with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 0.75 x 10\^9/L and platelets \> 75 x 10\^9/L (patients with delayed hematologic recovery) (patients with residual disease that is delaying count begin treatment immediately) receive cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 29, cytarabine IV over 30 minutes or subcutaneously (SC) on days 1-4, 8-11, 29-32, and 36-39, mercaptopurine PO on days 1-14, 29-42, pegaspargase IM or IV on day 15 (patients age \< 55 years), patients receiving treatment for central nervous system (CNS) 2 or 3 leukemia in cycle 1 receive methotrexate IT on days 1, 8, 15, and 22, and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab IV on days 8 and 15.

Beginning 4 weeks after the completion of cycle 2 of induction therapy, patients receive intensification therapy comprising high-dose methotrexate IV over 2 hours on days 1 and 8, and pegaspargase IM or IV on day 9.

Patients receive blinatumomab IV continuously on days 1-28. Treatment repeats every 6 weeks for 2 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may then undergo allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) or proceed to consolidation therapy per investigator discretion. Consolidation therapy: Beginning after the second cycle of blinatumomab, patients receive cytarabine IV over 30 minutes or SC on days 1-5, etoposide IV over 1 hour on days 1-5, methotrexate IT on day 1, and pegaspargase IM or IV on day 5, and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab IV on day 5. Beginning 4 weeks from day 1 of cycle 1, patients receive cytarabine, etoposide, methotrexate, and CD20 positive patients may receive rituximab as in cycle 1. Beginning 4 weeks from day 1 of cycle 2, patients receive daunorubicin hydrochloride IV over 10-15 minutes on day 1, 8, 15, 22; vincristine sulfate IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22; dexamethasone PO daily on days 1-7 (and 15-21 for patients age \< 55 years); methotrexate IT on day 2; cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on day 29; cytarabine IV over 30 minutes or SC on days 30-33 and 37-40; mercaptopurine PO on days 29-42 and CD20 positive patients may receive rituximab on day 8. Beginning 8 weeks from day 1 of cycle 3, patients receive cytarabine, etoposide, methotrexate, and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab as in cycle 1. Patients repeat cycle 4 and then receive blinatumomab IV continuously on days 1-28.

Patients undergo allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) or proceed to consolidation therapy per investigator discretion. Consolidation therapy: After intensification therapy, patients receive cytarabine IV over 30 minutes or SC on days 1-5, etoposide IV over 1 hour on days 1-5, methotrexate IT on day 1, and pegaspargase IM or IV on day 5, and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab IV on day 5. Beginning 4 weeks from day 1 of cycle 1, patients receive cytarabine, etoposide, methotrexate, and CD20 positive patients may receive rituximab as in cycle 1. Beginning 4 weeks from day 1 of cycle 2, patients receive daunorubicin hydrochloride IV over 10-15 minutes on day 1, 8, 15, and 22; vincristine sulfate IV on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; dexamethasone PO daily on days 1-7 (and 15-21 for patients age \< 55 years); methotrexate IT on day 2; cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes on day 29; cytarabine IV over 30 minutes or SC on days 30-33 and 37-40; mercaptopurine PO on days 29-42 and CD20 positive patients may receive rituximab on day 8. Beginning 8 weeks from day 1 of cycle 3, patients receive cytarabine, etoposide, methotrexate, and CD20 positive patients may optionally receive rituximab as in cycle 1.

Within 6 weeks after beginning last cycle of consolidation therapy, patients receive mercaptopurine PO daily, methotrexate PO or IV over 2 hours once weekly for 2.5 years, vincristine sulfate IV on day 1 every 3 months, prednisone PO on days 1-5 every 3 months, and methotrexate IT on day 1 every 3 months. Treatment continues for up to 2.5 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.