Combination Chemotherapy and Rituximab in Treating Patients With Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria:

   - Patients must have a histologically confirmed diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma by
   demonstrating appropriate morphology plus at least one of the following on the biopsy
   specimen: nuclear cyclin D1+ by immunohistochemistry; t(11;14) by fluorescence in situ
   hybridization (FISH), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or conventional karyotyping

   - No prior chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy for mantle cell lymphoma; a brief
   course of steroids (< 14 days) for symptom relief or steroids for other indications
   are allowed

   - Patients must have measurable disease; CT scans at baseline are required to define the
   extent of measurable disease; the scans must be obtained within 6 weeks prior to
   registration; combined CT/PET scans may be used for the baseline and subsequent
   evaluations if accurate tumor measurements can be obtained from the CT component

   - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2

   - Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 1500 mm^3 (unless low count due to marrow
   involvement or splenomegaly)

   - Platelets > 100,000 mm^3 (unless low counts due to marrow involvement or splenomegaly)

   - Creatinine < 2 mg/dL

   - Bilirubin < 2 mg/dL (may be up to 3.0 mg/dL if due to Gilbert's disease or due to
   liver involvement by lymphoma)

   - Patients over the age of 45 must have a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of
   greater than 45% documented within 90 days prior to registration

   - Patients must be tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) within 4 weeks prior
   to registration NOTE: HBs Ag positive patients are not excluded but will have more
   stringent monitoring of liver function tests

Exclusion Criteria:

   - Known HIV disease; an HIV test is not required for entry on study but is required if
   the patient is perceived to be at risk; patients with a history of intravenous drug
   use or any other behavior with an increased risk for HIV infection should be tested
   for exposure to the HIV virus; patients with known HIV are excluded since the
   immunocompromised state of patients with HIV infection or the concomitant use of
   highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may result in more extensive dose
   modifications than intended for the intensive therapeutic regimen used in this study

   - Pregnant or breast-feeding; all females of childbearing potential must have a blood
   test or urine study within 2 weeks prior to registration to rule out pregnancy; women
   of childbearing potential and sexually active males must use an accepted and effective
   method of contraception

   - Grade 2 or higher baseline peripheral neuropathy

   - Known hypersensitivity to boron or mannitol

   - History of prior malignancy unless at least one of the following conditions are met:

      - Malignancy was in-situ

      - Malignancy was treated surgically or with local radiation therapy with curative
      intent and the patient has been disease free for > 3 years

      - Any adjuvant hormonal therapy must have been discontinued > 3 months prior to
      registration

   - Known central nervous system (CNS) involvement