OBJECTIVES:~Determine the clinical efficacy of oblimersen, thalidomide, and dexamethasone, in terms of complete and partial response rates, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.~Determine the time to progression and duration of response in patients treated with this regimen.~Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.~Correlate disease response (clinical outcome) with changes in Bcl-2 levels in patients treated with this regimen.~Determine the disease-free and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen.~OUTLINE: Patients receive induction therapy comprising oblimersen IV continuously on days 1-7, 22-28, and 43-49, oral dexamethasone on days 4-7, 25-28, and 46-49, and oral thalidomide daily beginning on day 4. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.~Patients with stable disease after induction therapy receive maintenance therapy comprising oblimersen IV continuously on days 1-7, oral dexamethasone on days 4-7, and oral thalidomide daily. Courses repeat every 35 days for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.~Patients are followed for 3 years.~PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 10-46 patients will be accrued for this study within 10 months.
RATIONALE: Thalidomide may slow the growth of cancer cells. Oblimersen may increase the effectiveness of thalidomide and dexamethasone by making cancer cells more sensitive to the drugs.~PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining thalidomide and dexamethasone with oblimersen in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.