Rituximab and Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate clinical response rate (RR) at 3 and 6 months. II. To estimate Grade 2-4 -infusion-related toxicity. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate laboratory parameters and correlate with clinical response including: antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity and effector cell phenotype analysis at baseline, 4 weeks and three months. II. To evaluate laboratory parameters and correlate with clinical response including: soluble cluster of differentiation (CD)20 fragments or CD20-containing membrane fragments at baseline, 4 weeks, and 3 months. III. To evaluate laboratory parameters and correlate with clinical response including: phenotype analysis of CD16 and CD32 on natural killer (NK) cells. IV. To evaluate laboratory parameters and correlate with clinical response including: rituximab pharmacokinetic studies at baseline, 4 weeks and 3 months. OUTLINE: Patients receive dexamethasone intravenously (IV) and rituximab IV once weekly. Treatment continues for 4 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 3 and 6 months.