Melphalan, Bortezomib, and Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Primary Systemic Amyloidosis

Inclusion criteria: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed primary systemic amyloidosis based on the following criteria: * Amyloid light-chain disease * Deposition of amyloid material by congo red stain showing characteristic green birefringence * Monoclonal light chain protein (Bence Jones protein) in the serum or urine, immunohistochemical studies, or serum free light chain assay * Evidence of tissue involvement other than carpal tunnel syndrome (i.e., positive immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow demonstrating clonal plasma cells); tissue amyloid deposits with anti-kappa or anti-lambda anti-serum; evidence for a plasma cell dyscrasia by serum/urine or bone marrow; or overwhelmingly convincing clinical features (e.g., macroglossia) associated with other systemic manifestations PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Southwest Oncology Group performance status 0-1 * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 45% by Echocardiogram within the past 60 days * diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide ≥ 50% PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Prior chemotherapy with alkylating agent allowed provided there is no morphological or cytogenetic evidence of myelodysplastic syndromes * Prior total cumulative dose of oral melphalan \< 300 mg * At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy and fully recovered Exclusion criteria: * No senile, secondary, localized, dialysis-related, or familial amyloidosis * No overt multip…