Interleukin-12 in Treating Patients With Previously Treated Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma or Hodgkin's Disease

Inclusion Criteria: * Previously treated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (all histologies except lymphoblastic and Burkitt's lymphoma) or Hodgkin's disease * Maximum of 4 previous treatment regimens * Measurable disease * No CNS involvement * Performance status - Zubrod 0-1 * Performance status - Karnofsky 80-100% * At least 12 weeks * Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1500/mm\^3 * Lymphocyte count greater than 500/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL * Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL * SGOT/SGPT less than 2 times normal * Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min * No severe cardiovascular disease including active ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, or major arrhythmias * No severe pulmonary disease including dyspnea with moderate to severe exertion * HIV negative * No active infection * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use adequate contraception * No clinically significant autoimmune disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) * No clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding or uncontrolled peptic ulcer * No prior allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplant * At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy for lymphoma * At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy for lymphoma * No concurrent steroid therapy * At least 3 weeks since prior endocrine therapy for lymphoma * At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy for lymphoma * At least 2 weeks since prior surgery