Activated White Blood Cells With ASCT for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of multiple myeloma
• Newly diagnosed disease
• Durie-Salmon stage II or III disease
• Measurable disease, defined by any of the following:
• Measurable serum and/or urine M-protein levels documented and available prior to induction therapy
• Positive serum free light chain assay
• Must have completed a minimum of 3 courses of myeloma specific therapy
• Candidate for autologous stem cell transplantation
• Patients who have achieved a complete remission at the time of bone marrow harvest for marrow infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs) expansion are not eligible
• No evidence of spinal cord compression
• Diagnosis of the following cancers are not allowed:
• POEMS syndrome (plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein and skin changes)
• Non-secretory myeloma (no measurable protein on serum free light chain assay)
• Plasma cell leukemia
• No amyloidosis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and up to day 180
• Corrected serum calcium < 11 mg/dL and no evidence of symptomatic hypercalcemia
• Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT ≤ 2.0 times ULN
• Serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL
• No history of other malignancy within the past 5 years, except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• No history of autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus) requiring systemic treatment
• Hypothyroidism without evidence of Graves' disease or Hashimoto thyroiditis is allowed
• No infection requiring treatment with antibiotics, antifungal, or antiviral agents within the past 7 days
• No HIV infection
• No major organ system dysfunction including, but not limited to, the following:
• New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
• Pulmonary disease requiring the use of inhaled steroids or bronchodilators
• Renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal, neurologic, or psychiatric dysfunction that would impair ability to participate in the study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
• At least 3 weeks since prior corticosteroids (i.e., glucocorticoids)
• At least 3 weeks since prior myeloma-specific therapy
• At least 4 weeks since participation in any clinical trial that involved an investigational drug or device
• No concurrent therapy with any of the following:
• Corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone [Decadron])
• Inhaled steroids used for treatment of allergic rhinitis or pulmonary disease allowed
• Thalidomide
• Interferon
• Growth factors, interleukins, or other cytokines (except filgrastim [G-CSF] as outlined in the protocol, or erythropoietin)
• Cytotoxic chemotherapy agents (except cyclophosphamide for stem cell mobilization and high-dose melphalan)
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• Experimental therapies
• Radiotherapy