Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy in Treating Patients With Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma within the past year
• Stage IB or IIA disease
• * No prior diagnosis more advanced than stage IIA disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Not specified
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
• WBC at least 2,000/mm\^3
• Absolute lymphocyte count normal
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• No significant hepatic dysfunction
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
• Calcium no greater than 11.5 mg/dL
• No significant renal dysfunction
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 1 month after study participation
• Fasting triglycerides normal (fenofibrate or another anti-lipemic agent allowed except gemfibrozil)
• HIV negative
• No other concurrent known serious medical illness or infection that would preclude study participation
• No prior uncontrolled hyperlipidemia
• No pancreatitis or clinically significant risk factors for developing pancreatitis
• No known allergy or sensitivity to retinoid class drugs or fenofibrate or idiosyncratic reactions to psoralen compounds
• No history of light-sensitive disease states (e.g., lupus, porphyria, or albinism) or aphakia
• No prior or concurrent melanoma or invasive squamous cell carcinoma
• No pre-existing gallbladder disease
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No prior systemic anticancer interferon
• No prior systemic anticancer denileukin diftitox
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer carmustine or mechlorethamine
• No prior systemic anticancer alkaloid chemotherapy
• No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer chemotherapy (e.g., methotrexate or cyclophosphamide)
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer corticosteroids
• No concurrent systemic or topical anticancer corticosteroids
• Radiotherapy:
• No concurrent localized radiotherapy to specific study lesions except at investigator's discretion
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• No prior systemic anticancer therapy
• At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer therapy (e.g., ultraviolet B light or psoralen-ultraviolet-light therapy)
• At least 30 days since prior participation in another investigational drug study
• At least 30 days since prior vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day) or other retinoid class drugs
• No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer drugs or therapies
• No other concurrent systemic retinoid class drugs, beta-carotene compounds, or vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day)
• No other concurrent investigational medication
• No concurrent gemfibrozil
• No concurrent statin class anti-lipemics combined with fibrate class anti-lipemics (e.g., atorvastatin with fenofibrate)