Iodine I 131 Tositumomab Followed by Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Older Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma CD20+ disease Failed at least 1 prior standard systemic therapy Persistent lymphoma by physical examination, radiographic studies, bone marrow evaluations, flow cytometry, or polymerase chain reaction Tumor burden less than 500 cc by computed tomography or MRI No splenomegaly Autologous hematopoietic stem cells or bone marrow harvested and cryopreserved No circulating lymphoma cells by morphology or flow cytometry at or near the time of peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection if unpurged PBSCs are to be used 10% or less marrow involvement by flow cytometry or morphology if purged bone marrow is to be used No CNS lymphoma No chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma/well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 60 to 80 Performance status SWOG 0-1 Life expectancy More than 60 days Hematopoietic See Disease Characteristics Hepatic Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL Renal Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular No active coronary artery disease Pulmonary FEV_1 at least 70% of expected Vital capacity at least 70% of expected Other Not pregnant Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception HIV negative Able to perform self-care during radiation isolation No major organ dysfunction No major infection No circulating anti-mouse antibody No other serious medical condition considered to represent contraindications to bone marrow transplantation No competing causes of death that would predict life span to be less than 10 additional years PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy No prior bone marrow or stem cell transplantation Chemotherapy Not specified Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy greater than 20 Gy to any critical normal organ (e.g., lung, liver, spinal cord, or more than 25% of red marrow) Surgery Not specified Other More than 30 days since prior systemic antilymphoma therapy