RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking blood flow to the cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more cancer cells. Giving monoclonal antibodies together with combination chemotherapy may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with combination chemotherapy works in treating patients with hematologic cancers.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Determine the 12-month progression-free survival of patients with peripheral T-cell or natural killer cell neoplasms treated with bevacizumab and combination chemotherapy comprising cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP).

Secondary

• Determine the overall response rate (complete remission [(CR), unconfirmed CR, or functional CR] and partial remission) in these patients after courses 3, 6, and 8 of this treatment regimen.
• Determine the overall survival of patients treated with this regimen.
• Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients receive bevacizumab IV over 30-90 minutes, cyclophosphamide IV over 15 minutes, doxorubicin IV and vincristine IV on day 1. Patients also receive oral prednisone on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 6-8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with stable disease or who achieve partial remission (PR) after 6 courses receive 2 additional courses of bevacizumab and chemotherapy. Patients achieving a complete remission (CR), functional CR, or unconfirmed CR after 6 courses or after 8 courses or patients achieving PR after 8 courses, then receive bevacizumab alone over 30 minutes on day 1. Treatment with bevacizumab alone repeats every 21 days for 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, every 4 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for 1 year.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 43 patients will be accrued for this study within 22 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of peripheral T-cell or natural killer cell neoplasm
• Any stage disease allowed
• HTLV-positive tumors allowed
• At least 1 objective measurable disease parameter
• Abnormal positron emission tomography scans are not considered evidence of measurable disease unless results are confirmed by CT scan or other appropriate imaging techniques
• No anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive T-cell large cell lymphoma
• ALK-negative T-cell large cell lymphoma allowed
• No cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• No history of or current radiographic evidence of CNS metastasis, including previously treated, resected, or asymptomatic brain lesions or leptomeningeal involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3(500/mm^3 if due to bone marrow involvement with lymphoma)
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3(50,000/mm^3 if due to bone marrow involvement with lymphoma)
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (≤ 3 times upper limit of normal [ULN] if due to hepatic involvement with lymphoma)
• AST ≤ 2 times ULN (5 times ULN if due to hepatic involvement with lymphoma)
• PT, INR, and PTT ≤ 1.5 times normal

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Urinary protein:creatinine ratio < 1

Cardiovascular

• No cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No unstable angina
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure [BP] > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 100 mm Hg)
• No stroke within the past 6 months
• No other clinically significant cardiovascular or peripheral vascular disease
• Patients with a history of deep venous thrombosis allowed provided they are on a stable dose of anticoagulants for at least 2 weeks prior to study entry
• LVEF ≥ 50%

Pulmonary

• Patients with a history of pulmonary embolism allowed provided they are on a stable dose of anticoagulants for at least 2 weeks prior to study entry

Gastrointestinal

• No abdominal fistula within the past 6 months
• No gastrointestinal perforation within the past 6 months
• No intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of active seizures
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks
• No non-healing ulcer (unless involved with lymphoma)
• No bone fracture
• No active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics
• No known HIV positivity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• No prior or other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• No prior or concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 4 weeks since prior major invasive surgery or open biopsy
• At least 7 days since prior minor surgery (e.g., peripheral lymph node core biopsy, bone marrow biopsy, fine needle aspiration, skin biopsy, or central line placement)
• No concurrent major surgery

Other

• More than 7 days since prior and no concurrent anti-platelet drugs (e.g., ticlopidine or clopidogrel) except aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• More than 7 days since prior and no concurrent prophylactic heparin for deep vein thrombosis
• Concurrent heparin flush for maintenance of central line patency allowed
• Concurrent anticoagulants allowed provided patient is on a stable dose and INR is stable for at least 2 weeks prior to study entry