Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Mycosis Fungoides

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Clinically and histologically proven diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• * Mycosis fungoides (MF) meeting 1 of the following conditions:
• * Stage IIB disease that has failed psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) light therapy and topical chemotherapy (mechlorethamine and/or carmustine)
• * Stage III disease with generalized erythroderma
• * Stage IV disease with biopsy proven nodal or visceral involvement
• * Sezary syndrome
• * Stage III MF with a minimum of 20% Sezary cells (based on total WBC)
• No clinically significant ascites or pleural effusion
• * Clinically significant pleural effusion defined as shortness of breath with oxygen saturation less than 90%
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 to 80
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 16 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• See Disease Characteristics
• WBC at least 3,500/mm\^3
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 11.5 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 2.5 times normal
• SGOT less than 2.5 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• No nephrotic syndrome
• Cardiovascular:
• No history of myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure
• No symptomatic coronary artery disease
• No clinically manifest hypotension
• No severe hypertension
• No arrhythmia on electrocardiogram
• No edema
• No contraindication to pressor agents
• Pulmonary:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No dyspnea at rest or severe exertional dyspnea
• Neurologic:
• No significant CNS dysfunction, including any of the following:
• * Seizure disorder
• * Active cerebrovascular disease
• * Dementia or delirium
• Other:
• No autoimmune disease, including psoriasis
• No uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease
• No uncontrolled infection
• No history of adverse reaction to interleukin-2
• HIV and HTLV-I negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic or topical chemotherapy (6 weeks since prior mitomycin or nitrosoureas)
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 1 week since prior corticosteroids
• No concurrent corticosteroids
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• No prior organ allograft
• At least 3 weeks since other prior major surgery
• Other:
• At least 4 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy
• At least 2 weeks since prior phototherapy (ultraviolet B \[UVB\] or PUVA light therapy)
• No concurrent phototherapy (UVB or PUVA light therapy)