Bortezomib, Melphalan, and Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Primary Amyloidosis or Light Chain Deposition Disease

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Biopsy-proven diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Primary systemic amyloidosis * Histochemical diagnosis of amyloidosis determined by polarizing microscopy of green bi-refringent material in Congo red-stained tissue specimens or characteristic electron microscopy appearance * Light chain deposition disease * Measurable disease as defined by one or more of the following: * Serum monoclonal protein ≥ 0.5 g/dL by serum electrophoresis * Urine monoclonal protein \> 200 mg/tv in a 24 hr urine electrophoresis * Serum immunoglobulin free-light chain ≥ 10 mg/dL AND abnormal serum immunoglobulin kappa lambda free light chain ratio * Must meet 1 of the following criteria: * Clonal population of plasma cells in the bone marrow (≤ 30%) * Immunohistochemical stain with anti-light chain anti-sera of amyloid fibrils * Must not meet the following diagnostic criteria for symptomatic\* multiple myeloma: * Lytic lesions on skeletal survey * Plasmacytoma * Increase in bone marrow plasma cells ≥ 30% NOTE: \*Patients who meet the International Myeloma Working Group definition of symptomatic multiple myeloma with symptoms attributable only to associated amyloidosis and who do not otherwise meet the criteria for diagnosis of smoldering myeloma are potentially eligible upon approval of the principal investigator. * If not previously treated, patient is either not a candidate for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or has declined the opt…