Etoposide, Prednisone, Vincristine Sulfate, Cyclophosphamide, and Doxorubicin in Treating Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis of either:

  * Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  * Lymphoblastic lymphoma with detectable abnormal blasts in the bone marrow
* In the opinion of the treating investigator, patients must be an unsuitable candidate for a pediatric-inspired regimen, reasons for which may include (but not be limited to) older age (i.e., \>= 40 years), practical/logistical barriers to or toxicity concerns from administration of a pediatric-inspired regimen, or Ph+ disease
* Total bilirubin =\< 2.0 x institutional upper limit of normal (\[ULN\]; unless attributable to Gilbert's disease or other causes of inherited indirect hyperbilirubinemia, at which point total bilirubin must be =\< 4.0 x ULN)
* Aspartate aminotransferases (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 5.0 x institutional ULN; (Note: patients with liver test abnormalities attributable to hepatic involvement by ALL will be permitted if the total bilirubin is =\< 5.0 x ULN and ALT/AST are =\< 8.0 x ULN)
* Creatinine =\< 2.0 mg/dL; however, patients with a creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL but with a calculated creatinine clearance of \> 30 ml/min, as measured by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, will be eligible
* As patients with ALL frequently have cytopenias, no hematologic parameters will be required for enrollment or to receive the first cycle of treatment; however, adequate recovery of blood counts will be required to receive subsequent cycles)
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 to 2; (performance status of 3 will be allowed if poor performance status is thought to be directly secondary to ALL)
* Must agree to the use of effective contraception while on study treatment, unless they are highly unlikely to conceive (defined as \[1\] surgically sterilized, or \[2\] postmenopausal \[i.e., a woman who is \> 50 years old or who has not had menses for \>= 1 year\], or \[3\] not heterosexually active for the duration of the study)
* Ability to give informed consent and comply with the protocol
* Anticipated survival of at least 3 months, independent of ALL

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia
* Patients must not have received any prior systemic therapy for ALL, except for the acute management of hyperleukocytosis or acute symptoms (e.g., corticosteroids, cytarabine, etc.)
* Patients with isolated extramedullary disease or with known parenchymal central nervous system (CNS) disease
* Known hypersensitivity or intolerance to any of the agents under investigation
* Other medical or psychiatric conditions that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude safe participation in the protocol
* May not be pregnant or nursing