Chemotherapy and Azidothymidine, With or Without Radiotherapy, for High Grade Lymphoma in AIDS-Risk Group Members

To determine the safety and effectiveness of a combination chemotherapy-radiation-zidovudine (AZT) treatment for patients with peripheral lymphoma. Other chemotherapies have been tried in patients with AIDS related lymphomas, but the results have not been satisfactory. This study will show whether the combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and AZT is more effective and less toxic than previously used treatments. Other chemotherapies have been tried in patients with AIDS related lymphomas, but the results have not been satisfactory. This study will show whether the combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and AZT is more effective and less toxic than previously used treatments. All patients will receive combination chemotherapy and AZT. The combination chemotherapy will be repeated every 3 to 4 weeks for a maximum total of 6 cycles. Each cycle will consist of doxorubicin, bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine on day 1, dexamethasone on days 1-5, and methotrexate on day 15. Patients with meningeal or bone marrow disease will receive radiation and intrathecal cytarabine (ARA-C) while those without will receive ARA-C without radiation. Patients with documented lymphomas in the central nervous system at initial workup will start radiation as soon as possible and intrathecal ARA-C (t.i.w. until cerebrospinal fluid is clear then every month for 1 year); patients with normal lumbar puncture, brain scan, and bone marrow at first diagnosis will begin radiation on day 1 of cycle 3 of chemotherapy. Lumbar punctures for evaluation will be done four times during the first cycle, on days 1, 8, 21, and 28. AZT will be administered every 4 hours, 7 days a week, beginning at the completion of combined chemotherapy, once the patient has achieved a complete remission of the lymphoma, and continuing for 1 year.