Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Mycosis Fungoides or Sezary Syndrome

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven mycosis fungoides or Sezary syndrome Any stage Measurable disease with 1 or more indicator lesions Evaluable disease for erythrodermic patients only At least 2 weeks since prior therapy, if documented progressive disease (PD) At least 4 weeks since prior therapy, if best response achieved without clear evidence of PD PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 3 months Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,000/mm^3 Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.2 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease No cardiac pacemaker No clinically significant peripheral venous insufficiency Other: No other malignancy within the past 5 years except: Treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer Treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix Surgically treated other cancer Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No active infection HIV negative No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: No concurrent steroids Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No other concurrent proven or investigational antineoplastic therapy