Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication: Required:

• PCP prophylaxis with Bactrim, dapsone, or aerosolized pentamidine.
• Oral candidiasis prophylaxis with fluconazole, ketoconazole, or clotrimazole oral troches.
• Antiretroviral agent available by therapy IND.
• MAI prophylaxis with rifabutin (in patients with CD4 counts < 100 cells/mm3).

Patients must have:

• HIV infection.
• Primary CNS lymphoma with NO systemic involvement.

Prior Medication:

Allowed:

• Prior corticosteroids.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:

• Concomitant malignancy other than Kaposi's sarcoma, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin.
• Active uncontrolled infection.
• Renal failure, active nonmalignant duodenal ulcer, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, or other serious medical conditions that would preclude aggressive cytotoxic chemotherapy administration.
• Active heart disease (congestive heart failure or heart block greater than first degree on EKG).

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

• Any investigational agent other than antiretroviral agents available by therapy IND.

Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded:

• No prior malignancy other than Kaposi's sarcoma, curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma of the skin.
• No new infectious complications within the past 2 weeks that require a change in antibiotics.
• History of myocardial infarction within the past 3 months.

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

• Prior chemotherapy other than for Kaposi's sarcoma.