Biological Therapy Plus Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)

  * CD20 positive by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry
* Relapsed or refractory disease
* Bidimensionally measurable disease

  * Sole site of measurable disease within a previously irradiated field allowed provided there was disease progression at that site
* No pre-existing ascites or pleural effusions
* No known CNS involvement by NHL

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* Neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm3
* Platelet count at least 50,000/mm3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 2 mg/dL
* Transaminase less than 2 times upper limit of normal
* No hepatitis B or C

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No significant cardiovascular disease
* No New York Heart Association class III congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No unstable angina
* No uncontrolled atrial or ventricular cardiac arrhythmias

Pulmonary:

* No concurrent significant pulmonary disease

Other:

* HIV negative
* No acute infection requiring antibiotics
* No fever over 38.2 degrees C within the past 3 days
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or noninvasive squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No pre-existing autoimmune disease or antibody-mediated disease, including:

  * Systemic lupus erythematosus
  * Rheumatoid arthritis
  * Multiple sclerosis
  * Sjogren's syndrome
  * Autoimmune thrombocytopenia
* Controlled thyroid disease allowed
* Concurrent autoantibodies without clinical autoimmune disease allowed
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar composition to study drugs
* No other medical history, including laboratory results, that would preclude study
* No suspected or confirmed poor compliance or mental instability that would preclude study
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior allogeneic transplantation
* More than 30 days since prior hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., filgrastim (G-CSF) or epoetin alfa)
* More than 30 days since prior immunotherapy
* More than 90 days since prior monoclonal antibodies as monotherapy for patients who were unresponsive to treatment (30 days for patients who responded to treatment and subsequently relapsed)
* No other concurrent biological agents
* No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., G-CSF or epoetin alfa)

Chemotherapy:

* More than 30 days since prior chemotherapy
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* More than 30 days since prior systemic corticosteroids
* No concurrent systemic corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 30 days since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* Recovered from prior therapy
* At least 6 months since prior coronary angioplasty
* More than 30 days since prior immunosuppressants
* More than 30 days since prior participation in an investigational drug study
* No concurrent immunosuppressants
* No concurrent anticoagulants except aspirin at doses no greater than 325 mg/day
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents