Amifostine and Melphalan in Treating Patients With Primary Systemic Amyloidosis Who Are Undergoing Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed amyloidosis
• * No secondary familial or localized amyloidosis
• Presence of monoclonal protein by immunoelectrophoresis or immunofixation of serum or urine
• No primary amyloidosis manifested only by carpal tunnel syndrome or purpura
• Amyloid deposits in a plasmacytoma or in bone marrow vessels in an asymptomatic individual not considered an amyloid syndrome
• * Amyloid syndromes include any of the following:
• * Hepatomegaly
• * Cardiomyopathy
• * Nephrotic range proteinuria
• * Peripheral or autonomic neuropathy
• No multiple myeloma defined by 1 of the following:
• * Presence of lytic bone disease
• * More than 30% bone marrow plasma cells
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 70
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• See Disease Characteristics
• Total or direct bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 4 times upper limit of normal
• Renal
• See Disease Characteristics
• Creatinine less than 3.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• See Disease Characteristics
• Ejection fraction at least 45% by echocardiogram
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• Systolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active infection
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except surgically treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix, nonmelanoma skin cancer, or indolent prostate cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior interferon
• Chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior melphalan
• Lifetime total melphalan dose less than 150 mg/m\^2 (based on ideal body weight)
• Endocrine therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior dexamethasone
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy for amyloidosis
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• No antihypertensive medications for at least 24 hours prior to, during, and for 1 hour after amifostine administration
• No other prior treatment