Arsenic Trioxide, Thalidomide, Dexamethasone, and Ascorbic Acid in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) Relapsed or refractory disease Monoclonal immunoglobulin spike by serum electrophoresis of ≥ 1 gm/dL AND/OR urine monoclonal immunoglobulin spike of ≥ 200 mg/24 hours Has received ≥ 2 prior treatment regimens for MM None of the following are allowed: Non-secretory MM Plasma cell leukemia Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age Over 18 Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy More than 3 months Hematopoietic Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm^3 (30,000/mm^3 if the bone marrow is extensively infiltrated) Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3 Hepatic AST and ALT < 3.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin < 2.0 times ULN Renal Not specified Cardiovascular No cardiac disease, including any of the following conditions: History of recurrent supraventricular arrhythmia History of sustained ventricular tachycardia History of second or third degree AV block History of left bundle branch block Cardiomyopathy with LVEF < 40% Uncontrolled ischemic heart disease No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No prolonged QT interval > 500 ms Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test No HIV positivity No neuropathy > grade 3 Potassium ≥ 4 mEq/L Magnesium ≥ 1.8 mg/dL PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy Not specified Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy Not specified Surgery Not specified Other More than 30 days since prior investigational drugs