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.
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.