OBJECTIVES:
* Estimate the failure-free survival rate in a cohort of relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients after retrieval therapy which includes peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in patients who achieve a complete remission or partial remission.
* Estimate the post complete/partial remission failure-free survival rate in these patients.
* Characterize the time to recovery of normal bone marrow function after transplantation in these patients.
OUTLINE: Patients receive 2 courses of reinduction chemotherapy followed by bone marrow biopsy and aspirate prior to peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) harvest. If marrow involvement is still present at harvest, then 2 additional courses of induction chemotherapy are given.
The PBSC transplantation preparative regimen should begin within 2 weeks of completing reinduction therapy course, consisting of the following:
* Carmustine IV over 3 hours on days -8, -7, and -6
* Etoposide continuous IV over days -8, -7, and -6
* Cyclophosphamide IV over 1 hour daily on days -5, -4, -3, and -2
* Mesna as a 15 min infusion before each dose of cyclophosphamide then at 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours after initiation of each cyclophosphamide dose Methylprednisolone IV is given to protect lungs from the toxic effects of carmustine.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30 patients will be accrued in each subgroup.