Inclusion Criteria:

- Previously untreated, histologically confirmed follicular lymphoma, WHO
classification, grade 1, 2, or 3a (> 15 centroblasts per high power field with
centrocytes present) which is stage III, IV, or bulky (i.e., single mass >= 7 cm in
any unidimensional measurement) stage II

- Institutional flow cytometry or immunohistochemistry must confirm CD20 antigen
expression

- Patients classified as high risk according to the Follicular Lymphoma International
Prognostic Index (FLIPI) should be considered for CALGB 50102/SWOG S0016

- No prior therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma including chemotherapy, radiation or
immunotherapy (e.g., monoclonal antibody-based therapy)

- No corticosteroids within two weeks prior to study, except for maintenance therapy
for a non-malignant disease

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- Measurable disease must be present either on physical examination or imaging studies;
non-measurable disease alone is not acceptable; any tumor mass > 1 cm is acceptable;
lesions that are considered non-measurable include the following:

- Bone lesions (lesions if present should be noted)

- Ascites

- Pleural/pericardial effusion

- Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis

- Bone marrow (involvement by non-Hodgkin lymphoma should be noted)

- No known CNS involvement by lymphoma

- No known HIV infection

- Non-pregnant and non-nursing; women and men of reproductive potential should agree to
use an effective means of birth control throughout their participation in this study;
appropriate methods of birth control include oral contraceptives, implantable
hormonal contraceptives, or double barrier method (diaphragm plus condom)

- Patients with a "currently active" second malignancy, other than nonmelanoma skin
cancers are not eligible; (this includes Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia, since such
patents have experienced transient increases in IgM following initiation of
rituximab, with the potential for hyperviscosity syndrome requiring plasmapheresis);
patients are not considered to have a "currently active" malignancy if they have
completed anti-cancer therapy, and are considered by their physician to be at less
than 30% risk of relapse

- ANC >= 1000/uL

- Platelet count >= 50,000/uL

- Creatinine =< 2 x ULN

- Total bilirubin =< 2 x ULN; unless attributable to Gilbert's disease