OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the potential benefit of dexamethasone administered prior to denileukin diftitox in terms of avoidance and/or reduction of hypersensitivity type reactions, flu-like symptom complex, and vascular leak syndrome side effects (adverse events) in patients with persistent or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. II. Assess the response rate in terms of tumor burden reduction in these patients treated with this regimen. III. Determine the rate of patient withdrawal from the study due to adverse effects.~OUTLINE: This is an open label, multicenter study. Patients receive denileukin diftitox IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1-5. Patients also receive oral dexamethasone twice daily beginning 24 hours prior to and concomitantly with denileukin diftitox. Treatment continues every 3 weeks for at least 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed at 2 or 4 weeks.~PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 15-30 patients will be accrued for this study.
RATIONALE: Denileukin diftitox may be able to deliver cancer-killing substances directly to T-cell lymphoma cells. Dexamethasone may decrease the side effects of denileukin diftitox.~PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of dexamethasone in preventing side effects following treatment with denileukin diftitox in treating patients who have persistent or recurrent T-cell lymphoma.