PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics Prior biologic therapy allowed Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No concurrent hormonal therapy Radiotherapy: Prior radiotherapy allowed No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent investigational anticancer or anti-infective therapy No concurrent aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, or foscarnet Concurrent required supportive care allowed, including: Non-investigational antiretroviral and antiviral medications Medications for Mycobacterium avium DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven stage I-IV AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Intermediate- or high-grade disease HIV infection documented by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot Must have received at least 1 potentially curative chemotherapy regimen for lymphoma Must be past the hematologic nadir resulting from prior chemotherapy (generally 2 weeks from onset of prior therapy regardless of filgrastim (G-CSF) use) Waiting period waived at the discretion of the principal investigator if patient well-being would be compromised At least 1 site of bidimensionally measurable or evaluable disease (e.g., bone marrow involvement only) History of leptomeningeal disease associated with systemic lymphoma allowed No primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma A new classification scheme for adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been adopted by PDQ. The terminology of "indolent" or "aggressive" lymphoma will replace the former terminology of "low", "intermediate", or "high" grade lymphoma. However, this protocol uses the former terminology.