Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Asymptomatic, Indolent Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma or Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed indolent lymphoma or leukemia of one of the following subtypes:

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Follicular center lymphoma (grade I or II)
Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma
Marginal zone lymphoma (nodal, extranodal, or splenic)
Small lymphocytic lymphoma
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
Any stage of disease allowed
No hairy cell leukemia
No T-cell lymphomas
No prior treatment for lymphoma/leukemia

Considered appropriate for expectant management

Must not require cytotoxic therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

18 and over

Performance status

ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

Not specified

Hematopoietic

Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
Hemoglobin greater than 10.0 g/dL
Platelet count greater than 75,000/mm^3

Hepatic

Bilirubin no greater than 2 times normal
AST and ALT no greater than 2 times normal

Renal

Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
No unstable coronary artery disease
No myocardial infarction in the past 6 months
No serious or uncontrolled arrhythmias
No history of thromboembolic disease

Pulmonary

No asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring the use of home oxygen or frequent oral steroids (prednisone greater than 20 mg per day for 5 days within the past 3 months)

Other

HIV negative
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Not planning to become pregnant in the next 2 years
Fertile female patients must use 1 highly effective method and 1 additional effective method of contraception for 1 month prior to, during, and for 1 month after study participation
Male patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 1 month after study participation
Willing and able to participate in the S.T.E.P.S. (System for Thalidomide Education and Prescribing Safety) program
No contraindications to meeting the requirements of the S.T.E.P.S. program
No other prior malignancy except curatively treated non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
No peripheral neuropathy

No poorly controlled diabetes defined by either of the following:

Glycosylated hemoglobin greater than 8.0 g/dL
Known end organ disease (i.e., nephropathy, retinopathy, or neuropathy)
No other concurrent illness that would preclude study therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

Not specified

Chemotherapy

See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy

Not specified

Radiotherapy

Not specified

Surgery

Not specified