Phase 2 Study of Atorvastatin Safety and Antitumor Effects in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria: * \> 18 years old * Disease criteria: Confirmed by Stanford Pathology to be one of the following Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) subtypes: * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia /small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) * Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Treatment criteria * Untreated: watchful waiting currently appropriate (includes CLL stage 0) o OR * Prior treatment: watchful waiting currently appropriate o OR * Refractory disease * Staging within 4 weeks prior to enrollment (SLL, marginal zone lymphoma) * CT chest (date) * CT abdomen (date) * CT pelvis (date) OR * Staging within 4 weeks prior to enrollment (CLL: CT not required) * Total white blood cell count (WBC) (Value) (date) * Absolute lymphoma cell count (ALC) (Value) (date) * Measurable disease (Site) (Size) OR * CLL (only): elevated absolute lymphoma cell count * Disease amenable to biopsy (must check at least one): * Circulating tumor cells * Positive bone marrow * Palpable involved site (such as lymph node) measuring \> 1.5 cm * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status \<2 (Karnofsky \>60) * Life expectancy of greater than 3 months * Patients must have adequate organ and marrow function * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/uL * Platelets \> 30,000/uL * Total bilirubin within normal institutional limits * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) / alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio \< 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal * Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min/1.73 m² for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal. * Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Women of child-bearing potential must have negative BetaHCG at enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * Chemotherapy or radiotherapy within 4 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study * Not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered more than four weeks earlier * Has stable low grade lymphoma has had rituximab within 3 months Patient with relapsed or refractory disease has had rituximab within 1 month * Not recovered from adverse events due to surgery performed 4 weeks earlier * Receiving any other investigational agent. Known brain metastases * Taken any statin within the past 6 months prior to enrollment in the trial * Currently abuses alcohol * Currently takes cyclosporin or gemfibrozil Patient has a prior history of rhabdomyolysis * Has uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements. * Pregnant: Patients are not excluded if they are breastfeeding at the time of enrollment, but breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with atorvastatin. * HIV-positive patients receiving combination anti-retroviral therapy