Melphalan and Filgrastim to Stimulate Peripheral Stem Cells in Patients With Multiple Myeloma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of multiple myeloma Must have received induction therapy within the past 3 months Chemoresponsive disease Greater than 50% reduction of monoclonal paraprotein with reduction in marrow plasma cell infiltrate or greater than 50% reduction in marrow plasma cell infiltrate if disease is non-secretory No symptomatic pleural effusions Eligible for stem cell transplantation PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-3 (ECOG 3 allowed only if due to bone disease or neuropathy) Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance greater than 51 mL/min Cardiovascular: No symptomatic cardiomyopathy No medically documented symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias within the past 60 days No New York Heart Association class III congestive heart failure No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Other: No other concurrent medical conditions that would preclude study No uncontrolled infections No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except for non-melanoma skin cancer Not pregnant Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior stem cell mobilization or transplantation Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No more than 200 mg prior oral melphalan Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No more than 3000 cGy of prior radiotherapy for myeloma Surgery: Not specified