Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Stage III or Stage IV Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven newly diagnosed stage III or IV follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

• REAL classification grade I, II, or III

• Treatment necessity indicated by presence of the following:

• B symptoms

• Bone marrow failure

• Bulky or progressive disease

• Compression syndromes

• No CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 to 70

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• No autoimmune hemolytic anemia or active hemolysis

• Direct Coombs' negative

Hepatic:

• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)*

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 times ULN* NOTE: *Unless attributable to lymphoma

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 times ULN (unless attributable to lymphoma)

Cardiovascular:

• No severe cardiac failure

• Ejection fraction at least 45%

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing

• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after study

• HIV negative

• No prior malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or squamous cell skin cancer

• No other serious medical disease that would limit lifespan or ability to tolerate chemotherapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent systemic corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No prior therapy