Tipifarnib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Biopsy-proven relapsed or refractory lymphomas; previous biopsies =\< 6 months prior to treatment on this protocol will be acceptable as long as there has not been intervening therapy; if the patient has received therapy for non-Hodgkin's disease (NHL) between the time of the last biopsy and this protocol, then a re-biopsy is necessary * STUDY 1: Aggressive lymphomas (permanently closed to accrual 6/28/06): * Transformed lymphomas * Diffuse large B cell lymphoma * Mantle cell lymphoma * Follicular lymphoma grade III STUDY 2: Indolent lymphomas (permanently closed to accrual 9/26/07) * Small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia * Follicular lymphoma, grades 1, 2 * Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type * Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma * Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma STUDY 3: Uncommon lymphomas: * Peripheral T cell lymphoma, unspecified * Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (T and null cell type) * Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma * Mycosis fungoides/ Sezary syndrome * Relapsed Hodgkin's disease (patients must be previously treated and either have had a transplant or not be eligible for a transplant) * Previously treated (no limitations on the number of prior therapies); patients with aggressive lymphoma (Study 1 - permanently closed to accrual 6/28/06) should have received or be ineligible for potentially curable therapy including stem cell transplant * MEASURABLE…