S0349 Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, and Prednisone With or Without Oblimersen in Treating Patients With Advanced Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

This randomized phase II trial is studying rituximab and combination chemotherapy to see how well they work compared to oblimersen, rituximab, and combination chemotherapy in treating patients with advanced diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Oblimersen may increase the effectiveness of anticancer drugs by making cancer cells more sensitive to the drugs. Combining rituximab and combination chemotherapy with oblimersen may kill more cancer cells