RATIONALE: Measuring the number of radiolabeled white blood cells in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma tumors may help doctors predict how well patients will respond to treatment, and may help the study of cancer in the future.

PURPOSE: This study is measuring radiolabeled white blood cells in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the number of indium In 111-labeled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and indium In 111-labeled polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) trafficking into lymphoma tumors prior to therapy in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• Compare the number of PBMC and PMNL trafficking prior to vs after therapy in these patients.
• Compare, preliminarily, the number of in vivo baseline (i.e., pre-therapy) trafficking of PBMCs vs PMNLs in these patients.
• Gather important data regarding the inter- and intra-patient variability of effector cell trafficking into these tumors.
• Assess the relationship between response at 8-12 weeks and the magnitude of baseline effector cell trafficking or the magnitude of post-rituximab effector cell trafficking in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups.

• Group I: Patients receive autologous indium In 111 (^111In)-labeled peripheral blood mononuclear cells on day 0.
• Group II: Patients receive autologous ^111In-labeled polymorphonuclear leukocytes on day 0.

In both groups, patients undergo blood collection on day 0. Patients then undergo full-body single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) scan 4 hours after cell infusion and on day 2. The labeling and imaging process may be repeated after at least 1 course of anticancer treatment.

Cellular uptake is measured by reader/visual interpretation, a semiquantitative grading system, and tumor-to-background uptake ratios.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 100 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

  • Indolent or aggressive disease
  • Planning to receive a new regimen or starting a regimen of cancer therapy

• At least one tumor lesion measurable in two dimensions as ≥ 1.5 cm by CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
• Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
• No concurrent medical complications that would preclude study compliance
• Not pregnant or nursing

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (except for nonmyelosuppressive treatments)
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiation therapy
• Concurrent rituximab allowed

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