DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage III or IV Hodgkin's disease with at least 3 of the following characteristics:

  • Albumin less than 4.0 mg/dL
  • Hemoglobin less than 10.5 g/dL
  • Leukocytosis at least 15,000/mm^3
  • Lymphocytopenia less than 600/mm^3 or less than 8% of total WBC
  • Male sex
  • At least 45 years of age
  • Stage IV disease
• Bidimensionally measurable disease
• Bilateral or unilateral bone marrow aspiration and biopsy performed within 42 days of study
• Negative chest x-ray within 42 days of study OR
• Chest x-ray performed within 28 days of study
• Negative CT scan of thorax, abdomen, and pelvis within 42 days of study OR
• CT scan of thorax, abdomen, and pelvis performed within 28 days of study
• No history of lymphoma, myelodyplastic syndrome, or leukemia
• No CNS involvement by Hodgkin's disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 15 to 65

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• See Disease Characteristics

Hepatic:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless elevation due to liver infiltration by Hodgkin's disease)
• Lymphoma-related hepatic dysfunction allowed

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Lymphoma-related renal dysfunction allowed

Cardiovascular:

• No coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, or arrhythmias requiring therapy
• Ejection fraction normal
• No significant EKG abnormalities suggesting active cardiac disease

Pulmonary:

• Corrected DLCO at least 60% OR
• FEV1 at least 60% predicted

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No HIV or AIDS
• No other prior malignancy within past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• No active bacterial, fungal, or viral infection*
• Afebrile for 3 consecutive days* NOTE: *Prior to randomization portion of study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease except single course of ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) within 35 days of study

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• At least 3 days since prior antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals (except for prophylactic therapy or fever associated with underlying lymphoma) (for randomization portion of study)