Inclusion Criteria:

- Patients with previously untreated ALL subtypes L1 and L2.

- Patients with de novo Philadelphia (Ph)+ ALL (i.e. excluding those that are after
blastic of CML) are eligible. However they will be referred to allogeneic
hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and will continue on the study until they are
ready to undergo the transplantation. At that time they will discontinue the study.
Patients who are unable to undergo allogeneic transplantation will continue on the
study.

- Presence of 25% or more of lymphoblasts in the bone marrow by FAB criteria,
confirmed by TdT positivity or by flow cytometry with standard ALL markers.

- Patients may have received prior steroids.

- Age: 18 - 55 years

- Signed Informed Consent

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patients with Burkitt's ALL (L3 subtype) or CML lymphoblastic crisis are not eligible
(including CML patients who present with ALL blastic crisis).

- Psychological or emotional disorders which will make a valid informed consent
impossible.

- Bilirubin >1.5 mg/dl, creatinine > 2.5 mg/dl

- Symptomatic congestive heart failure or unstable angina

- Pregnant or lactating females

- Known HIV positive status