S0629, Observation or Combination Chemotherapy, Bortezomib, Thalidomide, and Rituximab Followed By Two Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplants in Treating Patients With Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To assess the progression-free and overall survival of patients with symptomatic Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia treated with bortezomib, dexamethasone, thalidomide, cisplatin, doxorubicin hydrochloride, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (VDT-PACE) in combination with rituximab, followed by single or tandem autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and maintenance therapy. * To assess the confirmed and unconfirmed response in patients treated with this regimen. Secondary * To evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of this regimen in these patients. * To correlate the time to symptom development and overall survival with standard prognostic factors and cytopenias. * To examine the natural history of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. * To identify, in a preliminary fashion, biological correlates that may relate to progression or to symptomatic disease. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients with asymptomatic disease at study entry proceed directly to observation. Patients with symptomatic disease at study entry proceed directly to induction therapy. * Observation: Patients with asymptomatic disease undergo observation monthly for 3 months and then every 3 months for up to 3 years. Patients who develop symptomatic disease proceed to induction therapy within 28 days of onset of disease symptoms. Patients who continue to have asymptomatic disease after 3 years of observation are removed from the study. * Induction therapy: Patients receive oral dexamethasone and oral thalidomide on days 1-4; cisplatin IV, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV, cyclophosphamide IV, and etoposide IV continuously on days 1-4; bortezomib IV on days 1, 4, 8, and 11; and rituximab IV on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatment repeats every 6-8 weeks for 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection: Patients receive filgrastim (G-CSF) IV beginning on day 9 of course 1 of induction therapy and continuing until WBC counts are adequate for apheresis. Patients also receive G-CSF IV beginning on day 6 of course 2 of induction therapy and continuing until apheresis is complete. * First autologous PBSC transplantation\*: Beginning approximately 4-6 weeks after the completion of induction therapy, patients receive conditioning therapy comprising high-dose melphalan IV and bortezomib IV on days -4 and -1. Patients undergo autologous PBSC transplantation on day 0 NOTE: \*Patients who will receive a single transplant (for medical, insurance, or other reasons) will not receive melphalan and bortezomib, but will receive conditioning with carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan (BEAM) and will proceed to Maintenance Therapy. * Second autologous PBSC transplantation: Beginning approximately 56-90 days after the first transplant, patients receive conditioning therapy comprising carmustine IV over 2 hours on day -5; etoposide IV over 1 hour and cytarabine IV over 1 hour on days -5 to -2; and melphalan IV on day -1. Patients undergo autologous PBSC transplantation on day 0. * Maintenance therapy: Beginning after platelet counts recover, patients receive bortezomib IV on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 and rituximab IV over 2 hours on day 11. Treatment repeats every 3 months for 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 6 months for up to 5 years.