Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy in Treating Patients With Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma within the past year
* Stage IB or IIA disease

  * No prior diagnosis more advanced than stage IIA disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Not specified

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
* WBC at least 2,000/mm\^3
* Absolute lymphocyte count normal

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
* No significant hepatic dysfunction

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
* Calcium no greater than 11.5 mg/dL
* No significant renal dysfunction

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 1 month after study participation
* Fasting triglycerides normal (fenofibrate or another anti-lipemic agent allowed except gemfibrozil)
* HIV negative
* No other concurrent known serious medical illness or infection that would preclude study participation
* No prior uncontrolled hyperlipidemia
* No pancreatitis or clinically significant risk factors for developing pancreatitis
* No known allergy or sensitivity to retinoid class drugs or fenofibrate or idiosyncratic reactions to psoralen compounds
* No history of light-sensitive disease states (e.g., lupus, porphyria, or albinism) or aphakia
* No prior or concurrent melanoma or invasive squamous cell carcinoma
* No pre-existing gallbladder disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior systemic anticancer interferon
* No prior systemic anticancer denileukin diftitox

Chemotherapy:

* At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer carmustine or mechlorethamine
* No prior systemic anticancer alkaloid chemotherapy
* No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer chemotherapy (e.g., methotrexate or cyclophosphamide)

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer corticosteroids
* No concurrent systemic or topical anticancer corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

* No concurrent localized radiotherapy to specific study lesions except at investigator's discretion

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* No prior systemic anticancer therapy
* At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer therapy (e.g., ultraviolet B light or psoralen-ultraviolet-light therapy)
* At least 30 days since prior participation in another investigational drug study
* At least 30 days since prior vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day) or other retinoid class drugs
* No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer drugs or therapies
* No other concurrent systemic retinoid class drugs, beta-carotene compounds, or vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day)
* No other concurrent investigational medication
* No concurrent gemfibrozil
* No concurrent statin class anti-lipemics combined with fibrate class anti-lipemics (e.g., atorvastatin with fenofibrate)