Epirubicin and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (any grade) or chronic lymphocytic leukemia meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• •* Primary refractory disease
• •* Disease progression after at least 1 but no more than 4 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens
• •* Rituximab administered alone is not considered 1 prior regimen
• •* High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support is considered 1 prior regimen
• •Bidimensionally measurable or evaluable disease outside prior irradiation port
• •No clinical evidence of CNS involvement
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •18 and over
• •Performance status
• •ECOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3\*
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3\* NOTE: \*Unless due to bone marrow involvement
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• •SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Renal
• •Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular
• •No unstable angina
• •No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
• •LVEF at least 45%
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study treatment
• •HIV negative
• •No other concurrent primary malignancy except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ, or localized solid tumors cured more than 5 years ago
• •No acute infection requiring systemic therapy
• •No confusion, disorientation, or major psychiatric illness that would preclude understanding of informed consent
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy
• •Chemotherapy
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
• •Prior cumulative doxorubicin dose no greater than 6 courses at 50 mg/m\^2
• •Endocrine therapy
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior radiotherapy to the entire pelvis
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •Not specified
• •Other
• •More than 7 days since prior cimetidine
• •No concurrent cimetidine