OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxicity of an intensive induction regimen comprised of etoposide with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (TBI) in patients with high grade lymphoma or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). II. Determine the maximum tolerated dose of etoposide when combined with cyclophosphamide and TBI in these patients. III. Determine the response rate in patients treated with this induction regimen. IV. Determine the potential for long term survival in patients with relapsed lymphoblastic lymphoma and chemotherapy responsiveness treated with this induction regimen. V. Determine the efficacy of this induction regimen followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) in patients with ALL in any complete remission. VI. Determine the efficacy of this induction regimen followed by APBSCT in patients will ALL after relapse and remission reinduction.