Tipifarnib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Lymphoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess tumor response to R115777 (tipifarnib) in patients with relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (Permanently closed to accrual 6/28/06) II. To assess tumor response to R115777 in patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (Permanently closed to accrual 9/26/07) III. To assess tumor response to R115777 in patients with uncommon non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. IV. To evaluate toxicity associated with this regimen in patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate known and unknown molecular markers that may predict for response to R115777 in lymphoma tissue. OUTLINE: Patients receive tipifarnib orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 1-21. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 6 months for 2 years.