RATIONALE: Collecting and storing samples of blood and bone marrow from patients with cancer to study in the laboratory may help doctors find better ways to ways to treat the cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to collect and store blood and bone marrow samples from patients with multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, amyloidosis, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to be tested in the laboratory.

OBJECTIVES:

• Maintain and expand tissue repositories of myeloma specimens from uniformly treated Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) patients with multiple myeloma, smoldering myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, amyloidosis, or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
• Utilize scientific information generated from intergroup and collaborative studies to assist the SWOG Myeloma Committee in the development of new and more effective treatment regimens for these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive treatment as directed by the treatment protocols on which they are registered. Specimens of blood and/or marrow are submitted to the Myeloma Repository. The status of the patient (e.g., pre-study, post-remission, or relapse) will be recorded prior to specimen collection.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Not specified

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  • Multiple myeloma
  • Smoldering myeloma
  • Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia
  • Amyloidosis
  • Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

• Must be currently registered on a Southwest Oncology Group-coordinated treatment study (SWOG or Intergroup)

• Must have pretreatment specimens to submit to this study

• No cytogenetic samples

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified

patients enrolled on MM, SM, WM, amyloid or MGUS treatment/observation studies.