OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the feasibility and activity of intensive therapy with 3 noncross resistant chemotherapeutic regimens (cyclophosphamide, etoposide, cisplatin, cytarabine, and tandem courses of high dose melphalan with stem cell rescue) in patients with chemotherapy sensitive multiple myeloma. II. Determine the incidence of hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities of this regimen in this patient population. III. Determine the time to hematologic recovery after high dose melphalan in these patients. IV. Determine the response rate after each course of therapy in these patients. V. Determine the disease free, relapse free, and overall survival of these patients treated on this regimen. VI. Determine the incidence of toxicities attributable to interferon alfa and the ability to continue interferon alfa therapy as maintenance in these patients.