RATIONALE: Interferon-alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. Giving interferon-alfa following chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation may be an effective treatment for Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of interferon alfa-2b following chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the efficacy of interferon alfa-2b in reducing the relapse rate in patients with recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in second remission following high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. II. Compare the time to disease progression and survival in this patient population treated with interferon alfa-2b vs no further treatment. III. Assess the tolerability of these treatment regimens in these patients.

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to lymphoma subtype. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive no further therapy following high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Arm II: Beginning 4 weeks after high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, patients receive interferon alfa-2b subcutaneously three times a week. Treatment continues for 18 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 6 months until disease progression.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 360 patients (180 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 4-5 years.

Ages Eligible for Study:  18 Years   -   64 Years

Criteria

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

• Histologically proven non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease Diffuse small cell (i.e., chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic, immunocytoma); Follicular; Mantle cell; Peripheral T cell; Diffuse large B cell; Leukemic (i.e., lymphoblastic, Burkitt's)
• First relapse or first progression after responding to a salvage regimen and high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (second remission); Response of greater than 50% of tumor mass decrease observed at time of progression
• Prior high dose chemotherapy plus autologous stem cell transplantation as first line therapy allowed

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

• Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics; No other concurrent immunotherapy; No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors
• Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics; No concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy: Not specified
• Radiotherapy: No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery: Not specified

--Patient Characteristics--

• Age: 18 to 64
• Performance status: ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy: Not specified
• Hematopoietic: Not specified
• Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL; Transaminase no greater than 3.0 times upper limit of normal
• Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.7 mg/dL
• Other: Not pregnant or nursing; Fertile patients must use effective contraception; No other prior or concurrent malignancies except curatively treated (by radiotherapy or surgery) basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ