Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of multiple myeloma

- Newly diagnosed disease

- Symptomatic disease

- Measurable or evaluable disease, defined by ≥ 1 of the following criteria:

- Serum monoclonal protein ≥ 1.0 g by protein electrophoresis

- Monoclonal protein > 200 mg by 24-hour urine electrophoresis

- Serum immunoglobulin free light chain ≥ 10 mg/dL AND abnormal serum
immunoglobulin kappa to lambda free light chain ratio

- Monoclonal bone marrow plasmacytosis ≥ 30% (evaluable disease)

- Measurable soft tissue plasmacytoma not previously irradiated

- No monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance or smoldering myeloma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 (ECOG PS 3 allowed if secondary to pain)

- ANC ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL

- Creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dL

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective double-method contraception (1 highly effective
and 1 additional method) for 1 month before, during, and for 4 weeks after completion
of study therapy

- No uncontrolled infection

- No other active malignancy

- No other malignancies within the past 5 years except for currently treated basal cell
or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast

- No NYHA class III-IV congestive heart failure

- No untreated active deep vein thrombosis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy for solitary plasmacytoma

- Prior clarithromycin, therapeutic dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), anakinra,
pamidronate disodium, or zoledronic acid allowed

- No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy

- No prior corticosteroids (except for treatment of a nonmalignant disorder)

- Concurrent corticosteroids (prednisone ≤ 20 mg/per day) allowed

- No concurrent radiotherapy except palliative radiotherapy for a single painful bone
lesion or fracture