• Number of patients alive by day 113 ( last injection of anthracycline ) and having received a full course of induction/consolidation therapy [ Time Frame: 113 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  

• Hematological and cutaneous adverse evnts of both types of chemotherapy [ Time Frame: 113 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  
• Resistance to chemotherapy [ Time Frame: 113 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  
• Complete response rates [ Time Frame: 113 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  
• Disease free and overall survival [ Time Frame: 4 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  
• Economical study [ Time Frame: 113 days ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  

Patients aged 55 years or over will be assessed for response to steroids from day -7 to day 0 During steroid therapy, Ph status will be determinated : patients with Ph+ ve ALL will be treated according to the another French Protocol while patients with Ph-ve ALL will be included in the "caelyx" protocol and randomly allocated to induction with VAD or with vadox-li-Peg (caelyx).

A second course of induction therapy with VAD+ cyclophosphamide of Vadox-li-peg+ cyclophosphamide(according to the initial randomization arm) will then be given to all patients. Consolidation therapy included 2 courses of vad or of vadox-li-Peg , according to the initial random allocation, followed by two courses of cytarabine,cyclophosphamide and thioguanine. During induction and consolidation therapy, doxorubicin and liposomal pegylated doxorubicin pharmacokinetics will be assessed in all patients.

Treatment of occult CNS invasion includes skull radiotherapy and 6 intrathecal injections(steroÏds+methotrexate) A two years maintenance course with 6 mercaptopurine and methotrexate will then be offered to all patients.