Biological Therapy Plus Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)
• * CD20 positive by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry
• Relapsed or refractory disease
• Bidimensionally measurable disease
• * Sole site of measurable disease within a previously irradiated field allowed provided there was disease progression at that site
• No pre-existing ascites or pleural effusions
• No known CNS involvement by NHL
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• More than 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm3
• Platelet count at least 50,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 2 mg/dL
• Transaminase less than 2 times upper limit of normal
• No hepatitis B or C
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No significant cardiovascular disease
• No New York Heart Association class III congestive heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No unstable angina
• No uncontrolled atrial or ventricular cardiac arrhythmias
• Pulmonary:
• No concurrent significant pulmonary disease
• Other:
• HIV negative
• No acute infection requiring antibiotics
• No fever over 38.2 degrees C within the past 3 days
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or noninvasive squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No pre-existing autoimmune disease or antibody-mediated disease, including:
• * Systemic lupus erythematosus
• * Rheumatoid arthritis
• * Multiple sclerosis
• * Sjogren's syndrome
• * Autoimmune thrombocytopenia
• Controlled thyroid disease allowed
• Concurrent autoantibodies without clinical autoimmune disease allowed
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar composition to study drugs
• No other medical history, including laboratory results, that would preclude study
• No suspected or confirmed poor compliance or mental instability that would preclude study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No prior allogeneic transplantation
• More than 30 days since prior hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., filgrastim (G-CSF) or epoetin alfa)
• More than 30 days since prior immunotherapy
• More than 90 days since prior monoclonal antibodies as monotherapy for patients who were unresponsive to treatment (30 days for patients who responded to treatment and subsequently relapsed)
• No other concurrent biological agents
• No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., G-CSF or epoetin alfa)
• Chemotherapy:
• More than 30 days since prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• More than 30 days since prior systemic corticosteroids
• No concurrent systemic corticosteroids
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 30 days since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 6 months since prior coronary angioplasty
• More than 30 days since prior immunosuppressants
• More than 30 days since prior participation in an investigational drug study
• No concurrent immunosuppressants
• No concurrent anticoagulants except aspirin at doses no greater than 325 mg/day
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents