Bortezomib and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) including the following subtypes:

  * B-cell small lymphocytic lymphoma
  * Marginal zone lymphoma (extranodal, nodal, or splenic)
  * Grade 1-3 follicular lymphoma
  * Mantle cell lymphoma
  * Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
* Bidimensionally measurable disease by CT scan with ≥ 1 lesion measuring \> 1.5 cm in a single dimension
* Relapsed or refractory disease after prior antineoplastic therapy, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * No response to prior treatment
  * Relapsed disease after prior therapy
* Confirmed CD20-positive disease by immunohistochemistry on biopsy specimen

  * Prior transformation allowed provided there is no evidence of aggressive histology on recent biopsy
* No chronic lymphocytic lymphoma with absolute lymphocyte count \> 5,000/mm³
* No CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 (≥ 1,000/mm³ if due to extensive bone marrow involvement with NHL or splenomegaly)
* Absolute lymphocyte count ≤ 5,000/mm³ (except mantle cell lymphoma with a leukemic phase)
* Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (4 times ULN if liver involvement with NHL)
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile male and female patients must use effective contraception during study
* No serious nonmalignant disease
* No active infection
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 within past 14 days
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
* No uncontrolled angina pectoris
* No severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias
* No EKG evidence of acute ischemia or active conduction system abnormalities
* Any EKG abnormality must be documented as not medically relevant
* No hypersensitivity to bortezomib, boron, or mannitol
* No known anaphylaxis or immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity to murine proteins or any component of rituximab (including polysorbate 80 and sodium citrate dehydrate)
* No known infection or exposure to HIV
* No serious psychiatric or medical illness that would preclude study participation
* No active hepatitis B infection
* No other primary malignancy requiring active treatment
* More than 4 weeks since prior significant traumatic injury

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* At least 3 weeks since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery or open biopsy

  * Other diagnostic surgery allowed
* More than 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
* At least 3 months since prior unconjugated monoclonal antibody therapy
* At least 10 weeks since prior radioimmunoconjugates or toxin immunoconjugates (e.g., iodine I 131 tositumomab \[Bexxar\] or ibritumomab tiuxetan \[Zevalin\])
* More than 2 weeks since prior investigational agent
* No prior bortezomib
* No concurrent systemic corticosteroid at greater than the equivalent dose of 20 mg/day of prednisone, unless for treatment of allergic reactions to CT scan dye
* No concurrent major surgery
* No other immunosuppressive agents, unless for treatment of allergic reactions to CT scan dye
* No other concurrent antilymphoma agents
* No other concurrent investigational agent

  * Concurrent participation in another nontreatment study allowed if it does not interfere with participation in this study