DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage III or IV, indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Follicular small cleaved cell Follicular mixed small cleaved and large cell with less than 50% large cells No intermediate, high grade, or other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (e.g., mantle cell, monocytoid B cell, marginal zone, small lymphocytic, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or follicular large cell) Tumor sample safely accessible by biopsy, needle aspiration, or phlebotomy Must have adequate circulating lymphoma cells No CNS metastasis 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.

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Performance status: Karnofsky 80-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 2,500/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2 mg/dL SGOT/SGPT less than 2 times normal Renal: Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL Other: No other illness or condition, including innate or pharmacologic immunosuppression, that would preclude study No other malignancy within the last 5 years except adequately treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix HIV negative Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic: No prior biologic therapy for lymphoma Chemotherapy: No prior cytotoxic therapy for lymphoma Endocrine: No prior steroids for lymphoma At least 2 months since prior nonphysiologic doses of prednisone of greater than 20 mg or equivalent No concurrent maintenance steroids or greater than 5 mg of daily prednisone or equivalent Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy for lymphoma Surgery: Not specified