Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically proven previously untreated bulky stage IA or stage IB-IV aggressive
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of 1 of the following types:

- Working formulation:

- Follicular large cell

- Diffuse mixed cell

- Diffuse large cell

- Diffuse immunoblastic OR

- REAL classification:

- Diffuse large B-cell

- Peripheral T-cell

- Measurable or evaluable disease

- Good prognosis defined as no more than one of the following:

- Stage III/IV disease

- LDH greater than upper limit of normal

- ECOG/WHO 2-4

- No lymphoblastic or Burkitt's lymphoma

- No CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 to 59

Performance status:

- See Disease Characteristics

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

- Neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin, AST, and ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.7 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

- Ejection fraction at least 50% unless dysfunction attributable to lymphoma

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other concurrent serious uncontrolled medical conditions

- No other prior malignancy except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior radiotherapy to more than 35% of hematopoietic sites

- Concurrent consolidation radiotherapy allowed

Surgery:

- Not specified