Chlorambucil or Fludarabine as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, Splenic Lymphoma, or Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: * Compare the efficacy of first-line therapy comprising chlorambucil vs fludarabine phosphate in patients with previously untreated Waldenström macroglobulinemia, splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes, or non-IgM lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to disease (Waldenström macroglobulinemia vs splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes vs non-IgM lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive oral chlorambucil on days 1-10. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II: Patients receive fludarabine phosphate orally or IV on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 3-6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo quality of life assessment at baseline.