10-Propargyl-10-Deazaaminopterin in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma or Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed Hodgkin's lymphoma or, using the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma including: * Large B- or T-cell lymphomas (including transformed lymphomas) * Mantle cell lymphoma * Immunoblastic lymphoma * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion * At least 2 centimeter (cm) by conventional techniques OR * At least 1 cm by spiral computerized tomography (CT) scan * Lymph nodes no greater than 1 cm in the short axis are considered normal * Relapsed or refractory disease after first-line chemotherapy * Cohort 1: * No more than 3 prior conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens * Must have had at least a partial response (PR) lasting no more than 6 months or refractory disease * Patients with disease refractory to or relapsed less than 100 days from peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation are not eligible * Cohort 2: * No limit on prior treatment * Must have had at least a PR to the last therapy lasting at least 6 months * Patients who have received high-dose chemotherapy as part of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) transplantation are eligible if relapse occurred at least 100 days after transplantation * No clinically significant pleural effusions or ascites * No active brain or leptomeningeal metastases * Treated Central nervous system (CNS) disease allowed PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Karnofsky 70-100%…