Thalidomide/Dexamethasone vs MP for Induction Therapy and Thalidomide/Intron A vs Intron A for Maintenance Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with Multiple Myeloma of IgG, IgA, IgD, IgE, IgM lambda or kappa light chain, low secretory or non-secretory disease * WHO performance status 0,1,2,or 3 * No prior treatment of multiple myeloma * Clear requirement of treatment (usually Durie/Salmon stage II or III) * Anticipated life expectancy of at least 3 months * Adequate organ function * Minimum recovery period of 2 weeks following any major surgical procedure before entry into this study * Women, who are sterilized via hysterectomy or bilateral tubal ligation or at least one year post-menopausal * Age of at least 19 years, there is no upper age limit patients must have been informed and must have signed an informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Extramedullary plasmocytoma or solitary plasmocytoma without evidence of dissemination of disease * Benign monoclonal gammopathy * Multiple myeloma of IgM without osteolytic bone lesions * Smouldering myeloma * More than 3 irradiation fields * Irreversible performance status of WHO4 * Prior treatment of myeloma with any of the following: chemotherapeutic or immunomodulatory agents, corticosteroids, antiangiogenic agents or other investigational drugs * Women of childbearing potential * Preexisting peripheral polyneuropathy * Congestive heart failure NYHA III, IV * Acute infection requiring systemic antibiotics at study entry until resolved * Any uncontrolled underlying medical condition (eg diabetes, glaucoma) * Second primary malignancy (with the exception of cervical carcinoma in situ and non-myeloma skin malignancies) unless patient has been disease-free for at least three years