RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim may increase the numbers of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help a person's immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. Combining chemotherapy with rituximab and filgrastim may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining rituximab with chemotherapy and filgrastim in treating patients who have Burkitt's lymphoma or Burkitt's leukemia.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the complete response rate in patients with previously untreated Burkitt's lymphoma or Burkitt's leukemia treated with rituximab and high-intensity chemotherapy with filgrastim (G-CSF) support.
• Determine the progression-free and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen.
• Determine the feasibility and toxicity of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to disease (leukemia vs lymphoma).

• Course 1: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 5-15 minutes daily on days 1-5 and oral prednisone on days 1-7. Allopurinol PO will be given on days 1-14.
• Courses 2, 4, and 6: Patients receive ifosfamide IV over 1 hour daily on days 1-5; vincristine IV over 10 minutes and methotrexate IV over 24 hours on day 1; leucovorin calcium IV over 15 minutes every 6 hours on day 2; cytarabine IV over 2 hours on days 4 and 5 and etoposide IV over 1 hour daily on days 4 and 5; oral dexamethasone daily on days 1-5; and methotrexate and cytarabine intrathecally (IT) on day 1. During course 2, patients receive rituximab IV over 1-4 hours on days 8, 10, and 12. During courses 4 and 6, patients receive rituximab IV over 1 hour on day 8. Patients also receive filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously (SC) beginning on day 7 and continuing until blood counts recover.
• Courses 3, 5, and 7: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 5-15 minutes daily on days 1-5; vincristine IV over 10 minutes and methotrexate IV over 24 hours on day 1; leucovorin calcium IV every 6 hours on day 2; doxorubicin IV daily on days 4 and 5; oral dexamethasone daily on days 1-5; methotrexate and cytarabine IT on day 1; and rituximab IV over 1 hour on day 8. Patients also receive G-CSF as in courses 2, 4, and 6. After course 3, treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually for 5 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 100 patients (50 per stratum) will be accrued for this study within 3 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically, cytogenetically, or immunophenotypically confirmed Burkitt's leukemia or Burkitt's or Burkitt-like lymphoma

  • L3 morphology surface IgG expression
  • Cytogenetic evidence for t(8;14), t(8;22), or t(2;8)

• Previously untreated disease except hydroxyurea for leukocytosis

• CNS involvement allowed

• Patients with Burkitt's leukemia or Burkitt's lymphoma with bone marrow involvement must also be enrolled on CALGB-8461

• Patients with Burkitt's leukemia must also be enrolled on CALGB-9665

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 16 and over

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Other:

• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent interleukin-11

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent hormonal therapy except for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
• No concurrent steroids except for adrenal failure

Radiotherapy:

• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy except whole-brain irradiation for documented CNS disease