DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Pathologically confirmed non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of the following histologic subtypes: Small lymphocytic Follicular small cleaved cell Follicular mixed cell Follicular large cell (relapsed) Disease in first, second, or third partial remission (25% shrinkage in cross-sectional area of measurable disease) or first, second, or subsequent relapse required Transformed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma eligible, i.e., low-grade lymphoma subsequently transformed to intermediate- or high-grade lymphoma No lymphosarcoma cell leukemia