DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of resistant Hodgkin's disease Eligible subtypes: Lymphocytic predominance Nodular sclerosing Mixed cellularity Lymphocyte depleted Not otherwise specified Must meet 1 of the following conditions: Disease progression after at least 1 course of prior therapy on each of 2 regimens comprising combination chemotherapy or radiotherapy Less than a partial remission (PR) after at least 2 courses on each of 2 regimens Failure to achieve a complete remission (CR) after 6 courses of 1 or 2 regimens Relapse less than 1 year off initial therapy OR Diagnosis of intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Eligible subtypes: Diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic Diffuse mixed lymphocytic-histiocytic Nodular histiocytic Diffuse histiocytic Diffuse undifferentiated Lymphoblastic Must meet 1 of the following conditions: Disease progression after 1 course of prior therapy Failure to achieve a PR after 2 courses of prior therapy Failure to achieve a CR after 6 courses of prior therapy OR Diagnosis of low-grade NHL Eligible subtypes: Diffuse well-differentiated lymphocytic Nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic Nodular mixed lymphocytic-histiocytic Failure on second-line therapy administered for progressive symptomatic disease or organ compromise Measurable disease by physical exam, external imaging or scanning studies, or tumor markers No severe symptomatic CNS disease of any etiology History of prior CNS tumor allowed if no signs or symptoms at study entry Active CNS lymphoma (meningeal lymphomatosis) rendered disease-free by conventional therapies allowed Epidural metastases or discrete parenchymal brain lesions allowed if tumors can be encompassed in standard treatment fields Bilateral marrow core biopsy free of tumor and showing at least 30% cellularity Prior marrow involvement allowed if marrow is histologically normal at time of storage No significant skin breakdown due to tumor or other disease A new classification scheme for adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been adopted by PDQ. The terminology of "indolent" or "aggressive" lymphoma will replace the former terminology of "low", "intermediate", or "high" grade lymphoma. However, this protocol uses the former terminology.

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 15 to 65 Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% OR ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: At least 8 weeks without transplantation Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 150,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.8 mg/dL SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times normal No high risk for veno-occlusive disease of the liver Renal: No severe renal dysfunction unless due to tumor invasion Creatinine no more than 1.5 mg/dL Creatinine at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No severe cardiovascular dysfunction unless due to tumor invasion No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No symptoms of major heart disease Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA scan Essential hypertension controlled with medication allowed Pulmonary: No severe pulmonary dysfunction unless due to tumor invasion DLCO at least 50% normal No symptomatic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease Other: No insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus No uncompensated major thyroid or adrenal dysfunction No active infection HTLV-III negative (no AIDS-related complex)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (at least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas or mitomycin) Prior exposure to etoposide, cisplatin, or carmustine allowed if cumulative dose of chloroethylnitrosourea (carmustine or lomustine) no greater than 400 mg/m2 Prior doxorubicin or daunorubicin dose of 450 mg/m2 or more allowed if LVEF at least 50% No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Concurrent corticosteroids for hypercalcemia allowed Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No prior whole-pelvic radiotherapy Other prior radiotherapy allowed Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent nitroglycerin preparations for angina pectoris No concurrent antiarrhythmic drugs for major ventricular arrhythmias