Intrathecal DepoCyte and Lineage-targeted Minimal Residual Disease-oriented Therapy of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-65 years.
* Diagnosis of untreated ALL with B-/T-precursor phenotype or B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (B-LL), either de novo or secondary to chemo-radiotherapy for other cancer.
* Full cytological, cytochemical, cytogenetic and immunobiological disease characterization by revised FAB, EGIL and WHO criteria.
* Bone marrow and peripheral blood sampling (ALL) or biopsy specimen (LL) for MRD study.
* ECOG performance status 0-2 or reversible ECOG 3 score following intensive care of complications.
* Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of B-ALL (FAB L3 ALL/Burkitt's leukemia or lymphoma) and T-LL (T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma).
* Down's syndrome.
* Pre-existing, uncontrolled pathology such as cardiac disease (congestive/ischemic, acute myocardial infarction within the past 3 months, untreatable arrythmias, NYHA classes III and IV), severe liver disease with serum bilirubin \>3 mg/dL and/or ALT \>3 x upper normal limit (unless attributable to ALL/LL), kidney function impairment with serum creatinine \>2 mg/dL (unless attributable to ALL/LL), and severe neurological or psychiatric disorder that impairs the patient's ability to understand and sign the informed consent, or to cope with the intended treatment plan.
* Known HIV positive serology.
* Other active hematological or non-hematological cancer with life expectancy \<1 year.
* Pregnancy (fertile women will be advised not to become pregnant while on treatment; and male patients to adopt contraceptive methods), unless therapeutic aborption/early discharge is carried out.