Vaccine Therapy Plus Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Stage III, Stage IV, or Recurrent Follicular Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven follicular center cell lymphoma with surface immunoglobulin (Ig) M, G, or A phenotype Grade I (follicular small cleaved cell) Grade II (follicular mixed small and large cell) Grade III (follicular large cell) Stage III, IV, or recurrent disease Previously untreated with chemotherapy or monoclonal antibody therapy OR Recurrent, residual disease or progressive disease after prior prednisone, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (PACE) chemotherapy Peripheral lymph node of at least 2 cm and accessible for biopsy/harvest No primary or secondary CNS lymphoma Must not have any of the following: Rapidly progressing lymphadenopathy Bone marrow failure secondary to lymphoma B symptoms Neurovascular or organ compromise secondary to lymphoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: More than 1 year Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: ALT/AST no greater than 3.5 times upper limit of normal Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL unless secondary to Gilbert's disease Hepatitis B surface antigen negative Hepatitis C antibody negative Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Other: HIV negative No active infection No other prior or concurrent malignancy except curatively treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or effectively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix No medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics No other concurrent biologic therapy for lymphoma Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 3 months since prior PACE chemotherapy No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: At least 2 weeks since prior steroid treatment Less than 2 months of prior prednisone No concurrent endocrine therapy for lymphoma Radiotherapy: Prior radiotherapy to no more than 1 site allowed At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Lymph node biopsy performed within past month