Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) including the following: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Transformed NHL Follicular large cell lymphoma Peripheral T-cell lymphoma Unclassified aggressive histology (immunoblastic lymphoma) Must have received 1 to 3 prior chemotherapy treatment regimens (may include doxorubicin up to a cumulative dose of no greater than 450 mg/m^2) No Burkitt's lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma, or mantle cell lymphoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 to 64 Performance status WHO 0-1 Life expectancy At least 3 months Hematopoietic Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3* NOTE: *Lower values may be accepted if evidence of bone marrow involvement Hepatic Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)** Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN** AST or ALT no greater than 2 times ULN** No history or clinical symptoms of hepatitis B or C virus NOTE: **Higher values may be accepted if evidence of liver involvement Renal Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Cardiovascular LVEF at least 50% by MUGA No clinically significant cardiovascular abnormalities No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No severe arrhythmia No uncontrolled hypertension Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after study No history or clinical symptoms of HIV No clinically significant neurological abnormalities No serious uncontrolled infection (NCI CTC grade 3-4) No condition that would place the patient at undue risk or interfere with the study results PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy At least 3 months since prior radioimmunotherapy Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy At least 1 year since prior platinum or cytarabine (unless complete response to treatment) At least 2 years since prior fludarabine or nitrosoureas No prior cumulative cisplatin greater than 600 mg/m^2 Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy See Biologic therapy At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy to the whole pelvis Surgery At least 1 week since prior minor surgery and recovered At least 4 weeks since prior major thoracic and/or abdominal surgery and recovered Other At least 1 month since prior investigational drugs Recovered from prior therapy No other concurrent investigational drugs