Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Lymphoma or Colon Cancer That Has Not Responded to Vaccine Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed prostate cancer (closed to accrual as of 3/9/2005) Prior therapy on protocol NCI-00-C-0137 or NCI-00-C-0154 Progressive disease (2 consecutively rising PSA levels, new bone scan lesion, or progression of soft tissue) PSA at least 5 ng/mL Progressive androgen-independent disease Disease progression at least 4 weeks after flutamide withdrawal OR Disease progression at least 6 weeks after bicalutamide or nilutamide withdrawal OR Histologically confirmed follicular or mantle cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (mantle cell lymphoma closed to accrual as of 3/9/2005) Prior therapy on protocol NCI-00-C-0133, NCI-01-C-0169, or NCI-00-C-0050 Progressive disease after standard treatment Relapsed disease OR Histologically confirmed colon cancer (colon cancer closed to accrual as of 9/28/05) Prior therapy on protocol NCI-99-C-0023 Progressive disease OR Histologically confirmed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Hodgkin's lymphoma Progressive disease after standard treatment No curative therapy exists Prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation from a matched sibling or matched unrelated donor for an aggressive lymphoma allowed Last infusion of allogeneic cells (either hematopoietic stem cells or donor lymphocytes) must have occurred > 90 days prior to study enrollment No other standard therapy available or refused such therapy No symptomatic or rapidly progressive malignancy requiring therapy No symptomatic CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status Karnofsky 80-100% Life expectancy More than 2 months Hematopoietic WBC at least 2,500/mm^3 Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count at least 50,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Hematocrit at least 30% Hepatic Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL (unless due to Gilbert's disease) SGOT and SGPT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal Hepatitis B surface antigen negative Hepatitis C antibody negative Renal Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Immunologic HIV negative Rheumatoid factor negative if history or evidence of arthritis Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) titer no greater than 1:80 if history or clinical signs or symptoms of connective tissue disease No prior or active autoimmune disease (e.g., uveitis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, ulcerative and hemorrhagic colitis, endocrine disorders [e.g., thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, autoimmune hypophysitis/hypopituitarism, or adrenal insufficiency], sarcoid granuloma, myasthenia gravis, polymyositis,or Guillain-Barre syndrome) No positive antibody titers to autoimmune diseases Rheumatoid factor positive allowed unless ANA titer is greater than 1:80 and there is a history of or clinical signs or symptoms of connective tissue disease No active infection Other No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or superficial bladder cancer Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy See Disease Characteristics Recovered from prior vaccine therapy No prior anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 monoclonal antibody (MDX-CTLA4) for patients in part I of study Patients in part II of study may have had up to 4 prior treatments with MDX-CTLA4 No concurrent vaccine therapy No concurrent infliximab Chemotherapy At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy No concurrent mercaptopurine, methotrexate, or cyclophosphamide Endocrine therapy See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior steroids No concurrent systemic, inhaled, or topical steroids Radiotherapy At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery Other Prior intervening therapy for prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or colon cancer allowed No other concurrent investigational therapy No other concurrent immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclosporine or its analog)