 - Patients diagnosed as having T-NHL or T-ALL with respiratory distress or hyperleukocytosis may require steroids prior to the initiation of additional systemic therapy; they are eligible for AALL0434 and will be stratified, based on the initial complete blood count CBC; steroid pretreatment may alter the risk group assessment; if the T-ALL patients clinical status precludes a lumbar puncture within 48 hours of the initiation of steroid therapy, T-ALL patients CANNOT be classified as low risk and will be Intermediate or high risk based on the results of the day 29 marrow as above; patients with T-NHL who receive steroid pre-treatment will be classified as high risk; the dose and duration of previous steroid therapy should be carefully documented 