Arsenic Trioxide and Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Stage II or Stage III Multiple Myeloma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of stage II or III multiple myeloma
• Refractory myeloma defined as progressive disease (more than 25% increase in M protein or in radiographic findings of nonsecretory myeloma) despite up to 3 courses of prior cytotoxic chemotherapy
• * No more than 3 prior cytotoxic regimens
• * No more than 1 prior high-dose cytotoxic regimen with stem cell transplantation
• History of disease progression after prior steroid antimyeloma therapy
• No smoldering myeloma
• Measurable disease based on presence of serum and urine M protein and/or measurable plasmacytoma
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute granulocyte count greater than 1,200/mm\^3\*
• Platelet count greater than 75,000/mm\^3\*
• Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL\* NOTE: \*Unless due to multiple myeloma
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• Absolute QT interval less than 460 msec in the presence of normal potassium and magnesium levels
• No significant underlying cardiac dysfunction
• No conduction defects
• No unstable angina
• No congestive heart failure
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV cardiac disease
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• Other:
• No preexisting grade 2 or greater neurotoxicity/neuropathy
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No active serious infection uncontrolled by antibiotics
• No history of grand mal seizures (other than infantile febrile seizures)
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Chemotherapy
• At least 28 days since prior biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy, including high-dose cytotoxic regimen with stem cell transplantation
• No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy except for focal radiation for symptom control
• Surgery:
• Not specified