Samarium 153 and Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosed with multiple myeloma by 1 of the following criteria: * Meets any 2 of the following major criteria: * Plasmacytomas on tissue biopsy * Bone marrow plasmacytosis (i.e., \> 30% plasma cells) * Monoclonal immunoglobulin spike IgG \> 3.5 g/dL or IgA \> 2.0 g/dL by serum electrophoresis; kappa or lambda light chain excretion \> 1 g by 24-hour urine protein electrophoresis * Plasmacytomas on tissue biopsy AND meets any 1 of the following minor criteria: * Presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin at a lesser magnitude than given under above major criteria * Lytic bone lesions * Normal IgM \< 50 mg/dL, IgA \< 100 mg/dL, or IgG \< 600 mg/dL * Monoclonal immunoglobulin spike IgG \> 3.5 g/dL or IgA \> 2.0 g/dL by serum electrophoresis; kappa or lambda light chain excretion \> 1 g by 24-hour urine protein electrophoresis AND meets 1 of the following minor criteria: * Bone marrow plasmacytosis (i.e., 10-30% plasma cells) * Lytic bone lesions * Presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin at a lesser magnitude than given under major criteria with bone marrow plasmacytosis (i.e., 10-30% plasma cells) AND meets 1 of the following minor criteria: * Lytic bone lesions * Normal IgM \< 50 mg/dL, IgA \< 100 mg/dL, or IgG \< 600 mg/dL * Measurable disease, defined as a monoclonal immunoglobulin spike of ≥ 1 gm/dL by serum electrophoresis and/or a immunoglobulin spike of ≥ 200 mg by 24-hour urine protein electrophoresis or evidence of lytic bone disease OR * Nonmeasurable disease (i.e., patients with nonsecretory or oligosecretory multiple myeloma) * Relapsed or refractory disease * Relapsed disease following a response or stable disease after prior chemotherapy (e.g., single-agent steroids, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone \[VAD\], or melphalan and prednisone \[MP\]) or high-dose chemotherapy * Refractory (i.e., failure to achieve at least complete or partial response or stable disease) to the most recent chemotherapy with or without systemic corticosteroids * No plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein (M-protein), and skin changes (POEMS syndrome) * No extramedullary myeloma PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³ * AST and ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN (unless clearly related to disease) * Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min * Creatinine clearance \> 15 mL/min and \< 30 mL/min due to significant myelomatous involvement of kidneys allowed at discretion of investigator * Sodium \> 130 mmol/L * No ECG evidence of acute ischemia or new conduction system abnormalities * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection * No severe hypercalcemia (i.e., serum calcium ≥ 14 mg/dL) * No New York Hospital Association class III or IV heart failure * No poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study treatment * No known HIV history * No known active hepatitis B or C viral infection * No history of allergic reaction attributable to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to bortezomib, boron, mannitol, ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonic acid (EDTMP), or phosphonates * No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 12 weeks since prior samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium * No more than 1 prior treatment * At least 24 weeks since prior strontium chloride Sr 89 * No more than 1 prior treatment * No major surgery within the past 4 weeks * No chemotherapy within the past 3 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) * No corticosteroids (\> 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) within the past 3 weeks * No immunotherapy, antibody therapy, or radiotherapy (except localized radiotherapy) within the past 4 weeks * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent corticosteroids (≥ 10 mg prednisone or equivalent)