• Progression-free survival at 1 year [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Overall survival [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Response [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the 1-year progression-free survival probability rate in patients with low- or low-intermediate-risk advanced diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone with or without oblimersen.
• Compare the response (complete, unconfirmed complete, and partial) in patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients.
• Compare the 1-year progression-free survival and response rate in a subset of patients overexpressing bcl-2 protein treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (0 vs 1). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. (Arm I closed to accrual as of 9/21/04.)

• Arm I (closed to accrual as of 9/21/04): Patients receive rituximab IV over 6 hours, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-45 minutes, doxorubicin IV over 5-20 minutes, and vincristine IV over 5-15 minutes on day 1 and oral prednisone on days 1-5.
• Arm II: Patients receive oblimersen IV continuously on days 1-7; rituximab IV over 6 hours, cyclophosphamide IV over 15-45 minutes, doxorubicin IV over 5-20 minutes, and vincristine IV over 5-15 minutes on day 5; and oral prednisone on days 5-10.

In both arms, treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually for up to 5 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 160 patients (80 per treatment arm) (arm I closed to accrual as of 9/21/04) will be accrued for this study within 2 years.