DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed B-cell lymphoma

  • Any B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma except small lymphocytic lymphoma and/or chronic lymphocytic lymphoma

• Recurrent or refractory disease after ≥ 1 prior conventional therapy, including chemotherapy or monoclonal antibody therapy

  • No more than 3 prior chemotherapy regimens
  • Prior monoclonal antibody therapy or radiotherapy to a single site allowed (not considered a prior chemotherapy regimen)
  • Tumor vaccine therapy is not considered a prior therapy regimen

• Measurable disease

  • At least 1 pathologic node measuring 2.0 X 2.0 cm by CT scan OR 2 nodes measuring > 1.5 X 1.5 cm each after collection of tumor for immunologic analyses
• No potentially curative or life-extending standard therapy exists
• No clinical evidence of CNS involvement by lymphoma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• At least 24 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST ≤ 3 times ULN
• Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
• Hepatitis C virus negative OR hepatitis C virus RNA-negative by polymerase chain reaction

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No history of angina pectoris requiring active treatment

Immunologic

• Antinuclear antibody titer or rheumatoid factor titer ≤ 3 times ULN
• No uncontrolled infection
• No known immune deficiency

• No history of autoimmune disease requiring systemic therapy with immunosuppressive drugs, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Psoriasis
• HIV negative

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody therapy (MDX-010)
• No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior chemotherapy
• More than 1 year since prior fludarabine or cladribine
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent steroid therapy, including inhaled steroids for asthma

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• No other concurrent investigational therapy