DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage III or IV, indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Follicular small cleaved cell Follicular mixed small cleaved and large cell with less than 50% large cells No intermediate, high grade, or other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (e.g., mantle cell, monocytoid B cell, marginal zone, small lymphocytic, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or follicular large cell) Tumor sample safely accessible by biopsy, needle aspiration, or phlebotomy Must have adequate circulating lymphoma cells No CNS metastasis 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.