Ipilimumab and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory B-cell Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria:

Previously treated, histologically confirmed cluster of differentiation (CD)20+ B cell lymphoma; bone marrow biopsies as the sole means of diagnosis are not acceptable, but they may be submitted in conjunction with nodal biopsies or extra nodal biopsies; fine needle aspirates are not acceptable
All patients must be informed of the investigative nature of the clinical trial and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines
Able to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements
Karnofsky >= 70%
Life expectancy expected to be greater than 3 months
Leukocytes >= 3,000/mcL
Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,000/mcL
Platelets >= 50,000/mcL
Total bilirubin =< 2.0 x institutional upper limit of normal
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal
Serum creatinine =< 2.0 x upper limit of normal OR calculated creatinine clearance >= 30 ml/min/1.73 M^2 by the modified Cockcroft and Gault formula OR creatinine clearance >= 30 mL/min obtained from a 24-hour urine collection
At least one measurable lesion according to international workshop lymphoma response criteria; there must be measurable lymphadenopathy to follow with serial exam and/or imaging
All previous cancer therapy, including radiation, hormonal therapy and surgery, must have been discontinued at least 4 weeks prior to treatment in this study
Patients must have evidence of progression of disease during or after last treatment
Submission of original biopsy for review and verification by participating center hematopathologist
Disease free of prior malignancies for >= 3 years with exception of currently treated basal cell, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma "in situ" of the cervix or breast

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients who have had chemotherapy or radiotherapy within 4 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study or those who have not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier
Patients with a history of prior treatment with ipilimumab
Patients with a history of prior treatment with an anti-programmed cell death (PD) 1 antibody, CD137 agonist or other immune activating therapy such as anti-CD 40 antibody are excluded unless 5 half-lives of the agent (minimum of 8 weeks) have intervened since the therapy; patients who have received prior vaccine therapy are eligible
Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents
Autoimmune disease: patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are excluded from this study, as are patients with a history of symptomatic disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic progressive sclerosis [scleroderma], systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune vasculitis [e.g., Wegener's granulomatosis]); central nervous system (CNS) or motor neuropathy considered of autoimmune origin (e.g. Guillain-Barre syndrome and myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)
Patients with known immune impairment who may be unable to respond to anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA 4) antibody
Patients with known uncontrolled brain metastases are excluded; however, patients with stable brain disease (off corticosteroids) at least 2 weeks after completion of appropriate therapy for their brain metastases are eligible
History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to rituximab
Patients on systemic corticosteroids (except for patients on stable doses of hormone replacement therapy such as hydrocortisone), or other immunosuppressants (e.g., infliximab, mycophenolate mofetil) are excluded
Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
Patients with chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C infections are excluded
Pregnant women are excluded from this study
HIV-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy are ineligible
Rituximab within six weeks