Everolimus in Treating Patients With Lymphoma That Has Relapsed or Not Responded to Previous Treatment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Biopsy-proven\* relapsed or refractory lymphoma, including the following: * Aggressive lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 2/7/08 except for diffuse large B cell lymphoma, grade III follicular lymphoma, or transformed lymphoma) * Transformed lymphoma * Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma * Mantle cell lymphoma * Grade 3 follicular lymphoma * Precursor B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma * Mediastinal (thymic) large B-cell lymphoma * Burkitt's lymphoma/leukemia * Precursor T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma * Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma * Primary systemic type anaplastic large cell lymphoma * Indolent lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 8/18/08) * Small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia * Grade 1 or 2 follicular lymphoma * Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT type * Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Uncommon lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 9/2/08) * Unspecified peripheral T-cell lymphoma * Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (T and null cell type) * Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia) * Central Nervous System (CNS) lymphoma * Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder * Mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome * Hodgkin's lymphoma * Primary effusion lymphoma * Blastic Natural Killer(NK)-cell lymphoma * Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma * Nasal type extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma * Enteropathy type T-cell lymphoma * Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma * Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma * Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma NOTE: \*Biopsies performed \< 6 months prior to study entry are allowed; biopsy-proven CNS lymphoma (at any time) does not require a re-biopsy in order to be eligible for this study * Previously treated disease * Patients with aggressive lymphoma (closed to accrual as of 8/24/07) OR Hodgkin's lymphoma must have received or be ineligible for potentially curative therapy, including stem cell transplantation * Measurable disease\*\* by CT scan or MRI, defined by 1 of the following: * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \> 2 cm in diameter * Skin lesions may be used if they meet this criterion and are photographed with a ruler * More than 5,000/mm³ tumor cells in the blood NOTE: \*\*For patients with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma without measurable lymphadenopathy, measurable disease may be defined by bone marrow lymphoplasmacytosis with \> 10% lymphoplasmacytic cells or aggregates, sheets, lymphocytes, plasma cells, or lymphoplasmacytic cells on bone marrow biopsy AND quantitative Immunoglobulin M(IgM) monoclonal protein \> 1,000 mg/dL PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG) performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy \> 3 months * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR direct bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * aspartate aminotransferase(AST) ≤ 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver involvement is present) * Creatinine ≤ 2 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Willing to provide blood samples and portion of bone marrow aspirate and biopsy during study participation * Able to swallow intact study medication tablets * No other life-threatening illness (unrelated to tumor) * No serious non-malignant disease (e.g., active infection or other condition) that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude study participation * No other active malignancy requiring treatment or that would preclude study participation * No known HIV positivity PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy or biologic therapy (unless the patient has recovered from the nadir of the previous treatment) * More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy (unless the acute side effects associated with therapy are resolved) * Concurrent stable (i.e., not increased within the past month) chronic doses of corticosteroids, with a maximum dose of 20 mg of prednisone per day, is allowed if prescribed for disorders other than lymphoma (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, adrenal insufficiency, or asthma) * Non-escalating doses of steroids at the lowest possible dosing level are allowed for CNS lymphoma * No other concurrent investigational ancillary therapy * No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy * No concurrent participation in any other clinical trial involving a pharmacologic agent (e.g., drugs, biologics, immunotherapy, or gene therapy) for symptom control or therapeutic intent