Zoledronate With or Without Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Early Stage Multiple Myeloma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM)

  * Previously untreated asymptomatic disease
  * No requirement for immediate chemotherapy for active MM, such as hypercalcemia from myeloma or painful bone lesions
* No solitary plasmacytoma
* Measurable or evaluable disease as defined by one of the following:

  * Serum monoclonal protein ≥ 1.0 g by protein electrophoresis
  * More than 200 mg of monoclonal protein in the urine by 24-hour electrophoresis
  * Measurable soft tissue plasmacytoma by physical exam with ruler or by MRI or positron emission tomography/CT scan

    * If the only measurable lesion is the plasmacytoma, it must be ≥ 1.5 cm in 1 dimension
* Must have ≥ 10% plasma cells as measured on the bone marrow aspirate, bone marrow biopsy, or labeling index
* No amyloidosis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Performance status 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL (elevation above normal range should not be felt to be related to myeloma)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use 2 methods of effective contraception 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after completion of study treatment
* No uncontrolled infection
* No other active malignancy
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No pre-existing neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No concurrent major dental work

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior corticosteroids (for nonmalignant disorders) allowed
* Prior therapy with experimental agents not shown to have significant activity in MM, such as clarithromycin, dehydroepiandrosterone, and anakinra allowed
* No prior thalidomide or corticosteroids for MM
* No more than 3 doses of IV zoledronate or pamidronate within the past 12 months
* At least 3 months since prior radiotherapy, including radiotherapy for solitary plasmacytoma
* No concurrent oral bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis