Combination Chemotherapy and Denileukin Diftitox in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Confirmed diagnosis of peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

  * Newly diagnosed, previously untreated disease
  * Mycosis fungoides with systemic disease (i.e., beyond the skin) allowed
* No CD30-positive ALK 1-positive T-anaplastic large cell lymphoma
* No skin only involvement
* No localized NK/T-cell lymphoma
* No adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
* No known CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* ANC \> 1,000/mm\^3 (unless due to lymphoma)
* Platelets \> 100,000/mm\^3 (unless due to lymphoma)
* Serum bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (unless due to lymphoma)
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL (unless due to lymphoma)
* Albumin ≥ 3.0 g/dL
* Cardiac ejection fraction ≥ 50% by MUGA or echocardiogram
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative serum or urine β-HCG at screening
* Women and male partners of child-bearing potential must practice an effective method of birth control (e.g., prescription oral contraceptives, contraceptive injections, intrauterine device, double-barrier method, contraceptive patch) before study entry and throughout the study period
* Willing to receive transfusions of blood products
* No HIV-positive serology
* No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Child's class C liver cirrhosis
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would limit study compliance
* No other prior or concurrent malignancy with a poor prognosis (i.e., \< 90% probability of survival at 5 years) or that is actively being treated

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior chemotherapy for the treatment of lymphoma
* No other concurrent investigational agents for the treatment of lymphoma