Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Clinically and histologically proven diagnosis of 1 of the following:

- Mycosis fungoides (MF) meeting 1 of the following conditions:

- Stage IIB disease that has failed psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) light
therapy and topical chemotherapy (mechlorethamine and/or carmustine)

- Stage III disease with generalized erythroderma

- Stage IV disease with biopsy proven nodal or visceral involvement

- Sezary syndrome

- Stage III MF with a minimum of 20% Sezary cells (based on total WBC)

- No clinically significant ascites or pleural effusion

- Clinically significant pleural effusion defined as shortness of breath with
oxygen saturation less than 90%

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 to 80

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

- At least 16 weeks

Hematopoietic:

- See Disease Characteristics

- WBC at least 3,500/mm^3

- Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 11.5 g/dL

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2.5 times normal

- SGOT less than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

- No nephrotic syndrome

Cardiovascular:

- No history of myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure

- No symptomatic coronary artery disease

- No clinically manifest hypotension

- No severe hypertension

- No arrhythmia on electrocardiogram

- No edema

- No contraindication to pressor agents

Pulmonary:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No dyspnea at rest or severe exertional dyspnea

Neurologic:

- No significant CNS dysfunction, including any of the following:

- Seizure disorder

- Active cerebrovascular disease

- Dementia or delirium

Other:

- No autoimmune disease, including psoriasis

- No uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease

- No uncontrolled infection

- No history of adverse reaction to interleukin-2

- HIV and HTLV-I negative

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior systemic or topical chemotherapy (6 weeks since prior
mitomycin or nitrosoureas)

Endocrine therapy:

- At least 1 week since prior corticosteroids

- No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

- No prior organ allograft

- At least 3 weeks since other prior major surgery

Other:

- At least 4 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy

- At least 2 weeks since prior phototherapy (ultraviolet B [UVB] or PUVA light therapy)

- No concurrent phototherapy (UVB or PUVA light therapy)