Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven non-Hodgkin's disease that has failed both prior high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC greater than 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 20,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• No history of renal conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Cardiovascular:

• No hypertension
• No history of congestive heart failure
• No history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No serious active infections

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent immunomodulatory agents (e.g., interferon or interleukin-2)

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids
• No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No prior antineoplaston therapy
• No other concurrent antineoplastic agents
• No concurrent antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals