Investigation of Safety, Tolerability and Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of BI 2536 in Patients With Recurrent Advanced Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), including any of the following subtypes: * B-cell NHL, including any of the following subtypes: * Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma * Primary mediastinal (thymic) B-cell lymphoma * Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma * Immunoblastic B-cell lymphoma * Mantle cell lymphoma * Burkitt's lymphoma * Follicular grade 3b lymphoma * T-cell NHL, including any of the following subtypes: * Anaplastic large cell lymphoma * Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified * De novo or transformed disease * Refractory (i.e., disease not amenable to standard therapy) or relapsed disease, as evidenced by 1 of the following: * Refractory to OR relapsed after ≥ 1 prior combination chemotherapy regimen * Refractory to OR relapsed after prior CD20-based immunotherapy (for patients eligible to receive such therapy) * Refractory after prior high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation AND ≥ 100 days post transplantation * At least 1 bidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 1.5 cm by CT scan, MRI, x-ray, or clinical examination * No active CNS lymphoma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 3 months Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL * No known coagulopathy Hepatic * ALT and/or AST ≤ 2.5 times u…