Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed stage III or IV Hodgkin's disease with at least 3 of the
following characteristics:

- Albumin less than 4.0 mg/dL

- Hemoglobin less than 10.5 g/dL

- Leukocytosis at least 15,000/mm^3

- Lymphocytopenia less than 600/mm^3 or less than 8% of total WBC

- Male sex

- At least 45 years of age

- Stage IV disease

- Bidimensionally measurable disease

- Bilateral or unilateral bone marrow aspiration and biopsy performed within 42 days of
study

- Negative chest x-ray within 42 days of study OR

- Chest x-ray performed within 28 days of study

- Negative CT scan of thorax, abdomen, and pelvis within 42 days of study OR

- CT scan of thorax, abdomen, and pelvis performed within 28 days of study

- No history of lymphoma, myelodyplastic syndrome, or leukemia

- No CNS involvement by Hodgkin's disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 15 to 65

Performance status:

- Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- See Disease Characteristics

Hepatic:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless elevation due
to liver infiltration by Hodgkin's disease)

- Lymphoma-related hepatic dysfunction allowed

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 2.0 times ULN

- Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

- Lymphoma-related renal dysfunction allowed

Cardiovascular:

- No coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, or arrhythmias
requiring therapy

- Ejection fraction normal

- No significant EKG abnormalities suggesting active cardiac disease

Pulmonary:

- Corrected DLCO at least 60% OR

- FEV1 at least 60% predicted

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No HIV or AIDS

- No other prior malignancy within past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or
squamous cell skin cancer

- No active bacterial, fungal, or viral infection*

- Afebrile for 3 consecutive days* NOTE: *Prior to randomization portion of study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease except single course of ABVD
(doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) within 35 days of study

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- At least 3 days since prior antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals (except for
prophylactic therapy or fever associated with underlying lymphoma) (for randomization
portion of study)