Pixantrone, Cytarabine, Methylprednisolone, and Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in First Relapse

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Any stage, with or without B symptoms The following subtypes are eligible: Diffuse large cell (B and T cell types) Anaplastic large cell Diffuse mixed cell Immunoblastic large cell Follicular large cell Transformed follicular NHL Diffuse aggressive not otherwise classified Burkitt-like lymphoma Bone marrow positive or negative At least 1 measurable lesion Patients with bone marrow as the only site of disease are eligible without a measurable lesion No more than 1 episode of progressive disease, occurring after a response (complete response [CR], complete response unconfirmed [CR_u], or partial response [PR]) to prior chemotherapy* NOTE: *Patients with less than a CR, CRu, or PR and no progression, but who are good candidates for high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support may be eligible (will be decided on an individual basis) No chemotherapy-refractory disease, defined as follows: Stable or progressive disease documented at restaging immediately after the completion of induction therapy No lymphoblastic lymphoma, or mantle cell lymphoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over 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 clearly due to bone marrow involvement by lymphoma Hepatic Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)* AST or ALT no greater than 2.0 times ULN* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.0 times ULN* No history or clinical symptoms of hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus Patients with seropositivity due to prior vaccination for hepatitis B are eligible NOTE: *Higher values may be accepted if clearly due to liver involvement by lymphoma 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 grade II-IV cardiovascular disease No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No severe cardiac arrhythmia No uncontrolled hypertension Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation HIV negative No clinically significant neurological abnormalities No condition that would preclude study safety or interfere with study results No concurrent serious uncontrolled infection PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Prior rituximab immediately after the first chemotherapy regimen allowed Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics See Biologic therapy At least 6 months since prior anthracycline therapy (e.g., cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [CHOP]) More than 2 years since prior fludarabine More than 2 years since prior nitrosoureas More than 1 year since prior platinum-based chemotherapy or cytarabine, unless a CR or CR_u was achieved No prior cumulative dose of cisplatin greater than 600 mg/m^2 No prior single or cumulative dose of doxorubicin greater than 450 mg/m^2 Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy to the whole pelvis No prior radioimmunotherapy Surgery More than 4 weeks since prior major thoracic and/or abdominal surgery At least 1 week since prior minor surgery Other Recovered from prior therapy Alopecia allowed Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy allowed More than 30 days since prior participation in another investigational drug study No other concurrent investigational drugs