Arsenic Trioxide in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Non- Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) that has relapsed following or is resistant to at least 1 standard anticancer therapy or for which no curative therapy exists Intermediate or high grade NHL of one of the following types: Transformed low grade Diffuse small cleaved cell Diffuse large cell (including diffuse mixed cell and immunoblastic large cell) Primary mediastinal B-cell Follicular large cell (follicular center cell or grade III follicular cell) Anaplastic large cell Angiocentric (including nasal T-cell and pulmonary B-cell) Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma Peripheral T-cell Intestinal T-cell Intravascular lymphomatosis Lymphoblastic Diffuse small noncleaved cell/Burkitt's Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma Mantle cell Measurable disease 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. PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 17 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 4 months after study No active serious infection that is not controlled by antibiotics No grade 3 or worse preexisting neurological abnormality, regardless of causality HIV negative PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No more than 2 other prior chemotherapy regimens (e.g., one frontline plus one salvage regimen) At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: At least 1 month since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery: Not specified Other: See Disease Characteristics At least 2 weeks since other prior investigational agents and recovered No concurrent intrathecal drugs