Arsenic Trioxide and Ascorbic Acid Combined With Bortezomib, Thalidomide, and Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma or Plasma Cell Leukemia

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed multiple myeloma (MM) or plasma cell leukemia meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Relapsed or refractory disease after treatment with prior effective therapy
  * Exhibited \< a partial response to the last therapy
* Measurable disease, defined by 1 of the following:

  * Serum M protein ≥ 1.0 g/dL
  * Urine M-protein ≥ 500 mg/24 hours
  * Plasmacytoma with bidimensional measurements on CT scan or MRI (each axis ≥ 1 cm)
* Previously treated with ≥ 1 induction chemotherapy regimen for MM
* No known CNS involvement by multiple myeloma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Zubrod or SWOG 0-2 OR
* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

* More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

* WBC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 80,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.5 g/dL
* No history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

  * Low blood counts allowed if marrow is heavily infiltrated by multiple myeloma

Hepatic

* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

Renal

* Creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

* QTc \< 480 msec on EKG in the presence of serum potassium ≥ 4.0 mEq/dL and serum magnesium ≥ 1.8 mg/dL
* LVEF ≥ 55% by ECHO or MUGA
* No prior deep vein thrombosis, unless on concurrent anticoagulation
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No history of ventricular arrhythmia

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment
* No history of allergic reactions or severe adverse reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study drugs
* No other malignancy in the past 2 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No ongoing or active infection requiring IV antibiotics
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No other uncontrolled illness
* Controlled HIV disease allowed as long as there are no associated comorbid complications
* No active peptic ulcer disease
* No other condition that would confer a high risk of bleeding complications

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior thalidomide or lenalidomide for MM
* Prior autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplant for MM allowed
* Concurrent hematopoietic growth factors (e.g., epoetin alfa, filgrastim \[G-CSF\]) for MM allowed

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior arsenic trioxide for MM

Endocrine therapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids for MM

Radiotherapy

* More than 4 weeks since prior therapeutic radiotherapy (e.g., to plasmacytomas)

  * Palliative radiotherapy for painful symptomatic lytic skeletal lesions allowed within the past 4 weeks

Surgery

* Not specified

Other

* More than 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic agents or other therapy (e.g., bortezomib) for MM
* More than 30 days (or 5 half-lives) since prior investigational agents
* Concurrent bisphosphonates for MM allowed
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents