Molecular Risk Assessment in Planning Treatment for Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: * Determine whether molecular risk assessment can identify groups of patients with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who will demonstrate at least 50% difference in early response rates to treatment as determined by positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging. * Determine, by PET imaging, the response rate of patients treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab. * Determine whether early response rates can be predicted by gene expression profiles at diagnosis in these patients. * Compare gene expression profiles of patients with refractory or relapsed large cell NHL with profiles of the disease at diagnosis. * Determine relapse-free and overall survival rates of these patients. * Determine the feasibility of a new NHL treatment algorithm based on prognostic index and molecular risk, and early response assessment by PET imaging. OUTLINE: Molecular risk assessment is performed using lymph node tissue from initial diagnosis to test for "activated" genes before starting treatment. Patients receive rituximab IV over 3-6 hours, cyclophosphamide IV over 30 minutes, doxorubicin IV over 5 minutes, and vincristine IV over 5 minutes on day 1 and oral prednisone on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 3-8 courses. Patients undergo whole-body positron-emission tomography (PET) scanning at baseline and after course 3 to determine response. Results from the genetic testing and PET scans are used to determine further treatment recommendations. Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 2 years. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 36-50 patients will be accrued for this study.