This phase II trial studies how well combination chemotherapy and dasatinib works in treating participants with Philadelphia-positive or B-cell receptor-ABL positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, methotrexate, and cytarabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Dasatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving chemotherapy in combination with dasatinib may work better in treating participants with Philadelphia-positive or BCR-ABL positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the clinical efficacy (event-free survival) of an intensive short-term chemotherapy regimen (Hyper- cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone [CVAD] program) given in combination with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib for Philadelphia (Ph)-positive and/or B-cell receptor BCR-ABL-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

II. To evaluate other clinical efficacy (overall response rate and survival) and safety of an intensive short-term chemotherapy regimen (Hyper-CVAD program) given in combination with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib for Philadelphia (Ph)-positive and/or BCR-ABL-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

OUTLINE:

HYPER-CVAD THERAPY: Participants receive cyclophosphamide intravenously (IV) twice daily (BID) over 3 hours on days 1-3, vincristine IV over 30 minutes on days 4 and 11, and doxorubicin IV over 24-48 hours on day 4. Participants also receive dexamethasone orally (PO) or IV over 30 minutes on days 1-4 and 11-14, and dasatinib PO once daily (QD) on days 1-14 of course 1 and on days 1-21 for subsequent courses. Courses repeat every 21 days for up to 4 odd courses (1, 3, 5, and 7) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

METHOTREXATE PLUS CYTARABINE: Participants receive methotrexate IV over 24 hours on day 1, dasatinib PO on days 1-21, and cytarabine IV BID over 2 hours on days 2 and 3. Courses repeat every 21 days for up to 4 even courses (2, 4, 6, and 8) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Participants receive vincristine IV over 30 minutes on day 1, prednisone PO on days 1-5, and dasatinib PO BID. Courses repeat every 28 days for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. During courses 6 and 13, participants may receive an additional course of hyper-CVAD therapy.

After completion of study treatment, participants are followed for up to 12 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of one of the following: Previously untreated Ph-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (either t(9;22) and/or BCR-ABL positive) (includes patients initiated on first course of hyper-CVAD before cytogenetics known). These groups will be analyzed separately. After 1-2 courses of chemotherapy with or without imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). If they achieved complete response (CR), they are assessable only for event-free and overall survival, or if they failed to achieve CR, they are assessable for CR, event-free, and overall survival. Patients with relapsed Ph-positive ALL or lymphoid blast phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status less than or equal to 2
• Adequate liver function (bilirubin less than or equal to 3.0 mg/dl, unless considered due to tumor), and renal function (creatinine less than or equal to 3.0 mg/dl, unless considered due to tumor)
• Adequate cardiac function as assessed clinically
• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active serious infection not controlled by oral or intravenous antibiotics

• Treatment with any investigational antileukemic agents or chemotherapy agents in the last 7 days before study entry, unless full recovery from side effects has occurred or patient has rapidly progressive disease judged to be life-threatening by the investigator

• Active secondary malignancy other than skin cancer (e.g., basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma) that in the investigator's opinion will shorten survival to less than 1 year

• Active grade III-V cardiac failure as defined by the New York Heart Association criteria. Uncontrolled angina, or myocardial infarction (MI) within 6 months. Diagnosed or suspected congenital long QT syndrome. Any history of clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias (such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or Torsades de pointes). Prolonged corrected QT (QTc) interval on pre-entry electrocardiogram (> 470 msec). Patients currently taking drugs that are generally accepted to have a risk of causing Torsades de Pointes (unless these can be changed to acceptable alternatives)

• Prior history of treatment with dasatinib

• Pregnant and lactating women will not be eligible; women of childbearing potential should have a negative pregnancy test prior to entering on the study and be willing to practice methods of contraception. Women do not have childbearing potential if they have had a hysterectomy or are postmenopausal without menses for 12 months. In addition, men enrolled on this study should understand the risks to any sexual partner of childbearing potential and should practice an effective method of birth control

• History of significant bleeding disorder unrelated to cancer, including:

  • Diagnosed congenital bleeding disorders (e.g., von Willebrand's disease)
  • Diagnosed acquired bleeding disorder within one year (e.g., acquired anti-factor VIII antibodies)

• Patients with documented significant pleural or pericardial effusions unless they are thought to be secondary to their leukemia