DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of previously untreated T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma or mantle cell lymphoma OR relapsed or primary refractory lymphoid malignancy, including the following types:

  • B-cell lymphoma
  • T-cell lymphoma
  • Hodgkin lymphoma
• Patients with other lymphomas that have not received any prior therapy AND are not candidates for anthracycline-based therapies are eligible with Principle Investigator review and approval

• Measurable disease, defined as any of the following:

  • Lesions that can be accurately measured in two dimensions by CT scan, MRI, medical photograph (skin or oral lesion), plain x-ray, or other conventional technique AND a greatest transverse diameter of ≥ 1 cm
  • Palpable lesions with both diameters ≥ 2 cm
• No disease refractory (i.e., not responded or progressed within the past 6 months) to a carboplatin-, cisplatin-, ifosfamide-, or etoposide-based regimen
• Patients with evidence of adenopathy in the neck must have a CT scan of the neck
• Must be able to complete at least 2 courses of chemotherapy
• No active CNS lymphoma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• SWOG performance status 0-2
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm³ (without transfusion)
• Serum creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min
• Total bilirubin < 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST < 5 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known HIV positivity
• No other prior malignancies except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other cancer from which the patient has been disease-free for ≥ 5 years unless approved by the protocol Chair or Co-Chair

• No other medical condition that would contraindicate treatment with aggressive chemotherapy, including any of the following:

  • Active infection
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  • Uncontrolled arrhythmia

• No history of impaired cardiac status, including any of the following:

  • Severe coronary artery disease
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Arrhythmia
• No arrhythmias on EKG (sinus arrhythmia or infrequent premature ventricular contractions allowed)
• LVEF ≥ 50% by MUGA or ECHO

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 28 days since prior anticancer therapy
• More than 12 months since prior autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation
• More than 6 months since prior radioimmunotherapy
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent valproic acid
• No other prior or concurrent histone deacetylase inhibitors
• No other concurrent therapy intended to treat the primary cancer including chemotherapy, investigational agents, biologic agents, or other antitumor agents
• No concurrent radiotherapy