Oblimersen, Thalidomide, and Dexamethasone in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically and clinically confirmed multiple myeloma * Relapsed and/or refractory after chemotherapy or transplantation * Patients with prior allogeneic transplantation must not have evidence of active graft-vs-host disease requiring immune suppression * Measurable disease defined by quantitative immune globulin levels in serum and/or urine and bone marrow plasmacytosis * Patients with nonsecretory disease are eligible provided at least 1 plasmacytoma lesion is accurately measurable by MRI or CT scan * No known CNS involvement PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 OR * Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy * More than 3 months Hematopoietic * See Disease Characteristics * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3\* * Platelet count at least 50,000/mm\^3\* NOTE: \*Unless secondary to bone marrow plasmacytosis (more than 80% involvement) Hepatic * Bilirubin less than 2 times normal * AST/ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal Renal * Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL Cardiovascular * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia Other * Seizures allowed if under adequate control * No severe skin reactions from prior thalidomide * No prior allergic reactions attributed to agents used in this study * No sensory or motor neuropathy grade II or greater * No other uncontrolled concurrent illness that would preclude study therapy * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception for 1 month before, during, and for 1 month after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics * See Chemotherapy * At least 6 weeks since prior thalidomide Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * No more than 4 prior chemotherapy regimens, including autologous and/or allogeneic stem cell transplantation regimens * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered Endocrine therapy * Concurrent continuous steroids allowed for chronic treatment of disorders other than myeloma Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified Other * No prior oblimersen * No other concurrent anticancer therapies or investigational agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients