DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Biopsy-proven* relapsed or refractory lymphoma, including the following:

  • Aggressive lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 2/7/08 except for diffuse large B cell lymphoma, grade III follicular lymphoma, or transformed lymphoma)

    • Transformed lymphoma
    • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
    • Mantle cell lymphoma
    • Grade 3 follicular lymphoma
    • Precursor B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma
    • Mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma
    • Burkitt's lymphoma/leukemia
    • Precursor T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma
    • Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma
    • Primary systemic type anaplastic large cell lymphoma

  • Indolent lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 8/18/08)

    • Small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia
    • Grade 1 or 2 follicular lymphoma
    • Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT type
    • Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
    • Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma

  • Uncommon lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 9/2/08)

    • Unspecified peripheral T-cell lymphoma
    • Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (T and null cell type)
    • Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia)
    • CNS lymphoma
    • Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder
    • Mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome
    • Hodgkin's lymphoma
    • Primary effusion lymphoma
    • Blastic NK-cell lymphoma
    • Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
    • Nasal type extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma
    • Enteropathy type T-cell lymphoma
    • Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma
    • Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma
    • Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma NOTE: *Biopsies performed < 6 months prior to study entry are allowed; biopsy-proven CNS lymphoma (at any time) does not require a re-biopsy in order to be eligible for this study

• Previously treated disease

  • Patients with aggressive lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 8/24/07) OR Hodgkin's lymphoma must have received or be ineligible for potentially curative therapy, including stem cell transplantation

• Measurable disease** by CT scan or MRI, defined by 1 of the following:

  • At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion > 2 cm in diameter

    • Skin lesions may be used if they meet this criterion and are photographed with a ruler
  • More than 5,000/mm³ tumor cells in the blood NOTE: **For patients with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma without measurable lymphadenopathy, measurable disease may be defined by bone marrow lymphoplasmacytosis with > 10% lymphoplasmacytic cells or aggregates, sheets, lymphocytes, plasma cells, or lymphoplasmacytic cells on bone marrow biopsy AND quantitative IgM monoclonal protein > 1,000 mg/dL

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy > 3 months
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
• Total bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR direct bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• AST ≤ 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver involvement is present)
• Creatinine ≤ 2 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Willing to provide blood samples and portion of bone marrow aspirate and biopsy during study participation
• Able to swallow intact study medication tablets
• No other life-threatening illness (unrelated to tumor)
• No serious non-malignant disease (e.g., active infection or other condition) that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude study participation
• No other active malignancy requiring treatment or that would preclude study participation
• No known HIV positivity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy or biologic therapy (unless the patient has recovered from the nadir of the previous treatment)
• More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy (unless the acute side effects associated with therapy are resolved)

• Concurrent stable (i.e., not increased within the past month) chronic doses of corticosteroids, with a maximum dose of 20 mg of prednisone per day, is allowed if prescribed for disorders other than lymphoma (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, adrenal insufficiency, or asthma)

  • Non-escalating doses of steroids at the lowest possible dosing level are allowed for CNS lymphoma
• No other concurrent investigational ancillary therapy
• No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy
• No concurrent participation in any other clinical trial involving a pharmacologic agent (e.g., drugs, biologics, immunotherapy, or gene therapy) for symptom control or therapeutic intent