Forty evaluable patients with malignant lymphoma (ML) were treated with bisantrene at a dose of 260 mg/m2 every 3 weeks (18 patients) or 208 mg/m2 every 3 weeks (22 patients). The initial dose rate was determined on the basis of expected myelosuppression. Patients were heavily pretreated and had advanced disease (92% had stage IV). The overall response rate was 10% and included 1 partial response (PR) in 17 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD), 1 PR and 1 complete response (CR) in 5 patients with favorable histology in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and 1 PR in 18 patients with unfavorable histology in NHL. Neutropenia (WBC less than or equal to 3000 cells/microliter) was the most common toxicity, occurring in 50% of patients. Phlebitis was a common side effect in patients treated with bisantrene administered by way of peripheral veins. Bisantrene has limited activity in heavily pretreated patients with HD or unfavorable histology in NHL. The role of bisantrene for treatment of NHL with favorable histology or for treatment at an earlier point in the natural history of ML is unknown.