RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one chemotherapy drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which combination chemotherapy regimen is most effective in treating aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of two combination chemotherapy regimens in treating patients who have previously untreated aggressive stage II, stage III, or stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response rates in patients with previously untreated aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with doxorubicin, etoposide, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (EPOCH). II. Determine the toxic effects of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive doxorubicin IV, etoposide IV, vincristine IV, and cyclophosphamide IV continuously over days 1-4. Patients also receive oral prednisone twice daily on days 1-5 and filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously beginning on day 6 until blood counts recover. Treatment continues every 21 days for a maximum of 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 3 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage II, III, or IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (including immunoblastic features) OR Anaplastic large cell lymphoma No mantle cell lymphomas including equivocal B-cell lymphomas that are CD5+ and CD23-, have t(11;14), or express markers of mantle cell lymphoma or other subtypes No low-grade lymphoma (e.g., follicular center cells in bone marrow) Patients who have 3-5 International Prognostic Index risk factors must have refused participation in SWOG-S9704/CALGB-59903 trial No known lymphomatous CNS involvement, including parenchymal or leptomeningeal involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3* *unless attributable to NHL Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL (without Gilbert's disease)* *unless attributable to NHL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL* *unless attributable to NHL Cardiovascular: LVEF greater than 45% No ischemic heart disease No myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure in past year Other: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Prior glucocorticoids allowed (less than 10 day course) for urgent local disease at diagnosis (e.g., cord compression, superior vena cava syndrome) No concurrent dexamethasone (except as indicated by protocol) or other steroidal antiemetics No concurrent hormonal therapy except for non-disease related conditions Radiotherapy: Prior limited field radiotherapy allowed Surgery: Not specified