SWOG-8819 Collecting, Analyzing, and Storing Tissue Samples From Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: * Establish a central lymphoma tissue repository of fresh snap-frozen tissue from patients with previously untreated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). * Determine a standard set of procedures for routine acquisition, banking, and study of these tissue samples. * Correlate presently activated phenotyping studies and future projected molecular studies of the DNA and RNA status of these tissue samples with clinical results. * Correlate pretreatment phenotype or genotype of tissue samples from patients with intermediate- or high-grade NHL with patient outcome, in terms of complete response rate, time to progression, and survival. * Correlate the lymphoma lineage (T-cell vs B-cell), loss of class II human histocompatibility antigen status (HLA-DR-positive vs HLA-DR-negative), proliferative index (as measured by Ki-67), and B- or T-cell antigen aberrancy (e.g., lack of Pan B or T antigen expression) with outcome in patients with intermediate- or high-grade NHL. OUTLINE: Patients are treated on the SWOG study on which they are enrolled. Tissue samples obtained before treatment began are banked in a tissue repository. Samples from patients with intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are analyzed by three-stage immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to B-cell antigens, T-cell antigens, immunoglobulins, CALLA, HLA-DR, anti-interleukin-2 receptor, and Ki-67 (for the proliferative index). Phenotype (immune marker status, proliferation status, and activation status) is correlated with response to treatment, relapse, and overall survival. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 495 patients will be accrued for this study.