Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Pathologically confirmed classical Hodgkin lymphoma, including 1 of the following
cell types:

- Nodular sclerosis

- Mixed cellularity

- Lymphocyte-rich

- Lymphocyte-depleted

- Measurable disease using the Cheson criteria, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally
measurable lesion ≥ 2.0 cm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 1.0 cm by spiral CT scan

- Progressive or relapsed disease after ≥ 1 prior line of combination chemotherapy

- No known CNS metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-1

- ANC > 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count > 75,000/mm^3

- Total bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL (unless due to hemolysis)

- AST or ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

- Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No active hepatitis B infection

- No known chronic hepatitis B carrier

- No HIV positivity

- No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the
following:

- Symptomatic neurological illness

- Active uncontrolled systemic infection considered opportunistic,
life-threatening, or clinically significant at the time of study treatment

- Symptomatic congestive heart failure

- Unstable angina pectoris

- Cardiac arrhythmia

- Significant pulmonary disease or hypoxia

- Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study
requirements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 14 days since prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biological therapy, or
investigational therapy and recovered

- No prior gemcitabine hydrochloride, vinorelbine ditartrate, or rituximab

- No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies with the intent
to treat the malignancy