Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin's Lymphoma

You may be eligible if

• Histologically confirmed classical Hodgkin's lymphoma
• * No bone marrow biopsies or fine needle aspirates as the sole means of diagnosis
• * Core biopsies allowed if they contain adequate tissue for primary diagnosis
• The following subtypes are allowed:
• * Nodular sclerosis
• * Lymphocyte rich
• * Mixed cellularity
• * Lymphocyte depletion
• * Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, not otherwise specified
• No nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Relapsed or refractory disease after at least 1 prior standard systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen
• Measurable disease by physical exam or imaging studies
• * Any tumor mass \> 1 cm is allowed
• * No non-measurable disease only, including the following:
• * Bone lesions
• * Ascites
• * Pleural or pericardial effusion
• * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
• * Bone marrow
• No curative option available with high-dose therapy and stem cell transplantation
• Performance status - 0-2
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 750/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dL
• No sensory or motor peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 3 months after study participation
• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior stem cell transplantation allowed
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• No concurrent dexamethasone or other steroidal antiemetics
• * Concurrent steroids for adrenal failure allowed
• Concurrent hormonal therapy for non-disease related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) allowed
• Prior radiotherapy to a symptomatic lesion or one that may produce disability (e.g., unstable femur) is allowed provided other measurable disease is present
• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy
• Recovered from all prior treatment
• No prior bortezomib or other proteosome inhibitors