Forodesine (BCX-1777) in Treating Patients With Refractory Stage IIA, Stage IIB, Stage III, Stage IVA, or Stage IVB Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• * Refractory to prior treatment
• * Stage IIA, IIB, III, IVA, or IVB disease
• Measurable disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Not specified
• Hepatic
• AST and/or ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal
• Hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C negative
• Renal
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min
• Immunologic
• Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I) negative
• HIV negative
• No active serious infection not controlled by antibiotics
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known impaired absorption of the gastrointestinal tract
• No other illness that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• More than 21 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy
• Concurrent topical corticosteroids allowed provided patient remains on a stable dose
• Radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• More than 30 days since prior investigational agents and recovered
• No concurrent tanning bed use
• No other concurrent therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma