• Newly diagnosed patients with histologically proven ALCL (International Classification of Diseases for Oncology \[ICD-0\] code: 9714/3)

• Disease must be cluster of differentiation (CD)30 positive

• Disease must be anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive (defined by local institutional standards)

• Patients must have stage II, III, or IV disease

• Patients must have a life expectancy of \>= 8 weeks

• Adequate Liver Function Defined As:

• Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age (within 7 days prior to enrollment)

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) \< 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age; for the purpose of this study, the ULN for ALT is 45 U/L (within 7 days prior to enrollment)

• If the lab abnormality is thought to be due to the lymphoma the patient is eligible and dose adjustments should be made

• Adequate Cardiac Function Defined As:

• Shortening fraction of \>= 27% by echocardiogram, or

• Ejection fraction of \>= 50% by radionuclide angiogram

• Adequate Pulmonary Function Defined As:

• Patients with a history of pulmonary dysfunction must have no evidence of dyspnea at rest, no exercise intolerance due to pulmonary insufficiency, and a pulse oximetry \> 92% while breathing room air unless current dysfunction is due to the lymphoma in which case the patient is eligible