DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Newly diagnosed, active multiple myeloma of any stage requiring treatment

  • Smoldering myeloma (Durie-Salmon stage I) must have a 25% or greater increase in M component levels and/or Bence-Jones protein excretion or development of symptoms

• Quantifiable M component of IgG, IgA, IgD, IgE, and/or urinary kappa or lambda light chain (Bence-Jones protein) excretion required

  • Plasmacytosis of at least 30% allowed for non-secretory disease or secretory disease without quantifiable protein
  • IgM peaks excluded

• Evaluation of siblings as potential allogeneic bone marrow transplant donors required for patients 55 years of age and younger (As of 8/1/97, permanently closed)

  • HLA followed by DR and MLC testing required

• Renal failure, even on dialysis, eligible provided:

  • Cause is attributed to myeloma (Bence-Jones protein or hypercalcemia)
  • Duration does not exceed 2 months

• If medically appropriate, the following conditions should be treated prior to registration:

  • Pathologic fractures
  • Pneumonia at diagnosis
  • Hyperviscosity with shortness of breath

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 70 and under

Performance status:

• SWOG 0-2 (SWOG 3 or 4 based solely on bone pain allowed)

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• See Disease Characteristics

Cardiovascular:

• Normal ejection fraction by ECHO or MUGA
• No myocardial infarction within 6 months
• No unstable angina
• No difficult to control congestive heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No difficult to control arrhythmias
• No history of chronic cerebral vascular accident

Pulmonary:

• No history of chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease
• Pulmonary function studies and DLCO at least 50% of predicted except for demonstrated myeloma involvement on bronchoscopy and/or open lung biopsy

Other:

• No uncontrolled diabetes
• No significant comorbid medical condition
• No uncontrolled, life-threatening infection
• No prior malignancy within 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No prior malignancy treated with cytotoxic drugs used on this protocol
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy except local radiotherapy provided the following cumulative dose limits for prior dose plus potential TBI dose on protocol are not exceeded:

  • Less than 5,000 cGy to bone
  • Less than 4,000 cGy to mediastinum, heart, small bowel, brain, and spinal cord
  • Less than 2,000 cGy to the liver
  • Less than 1,500 cGy to the kidney and lungs

Surgery:

• Not specified