Hepatic plasmacytosis as a manifestation of relapse in multiple myeloma treated with thalidomide

South Med J. 2005 Feb;98(2):238-40. doi: 10.1097/01.SMJ.0000152542.36111.6F.

Abstract

Thalidomide and its analogs have been extensively studied in patients with multiple myeloma. We present the case of a 58-year-old female patient with immunoglobulin GA-kappa multiple myeloma who was receiving thalidomide after failing an autologous transplant. She presented with profound asthenia and several space-occupying hepatic lesions, one of which was shown by a CT-guided percutaneous biopsy to be plasmacytoma. The patient then received bortezomib and had a transient response. Because thalidomide may also increase the expression of cytoadhesion molecules in myeloma cells and in the bone marrow microenvironment, it is possible that some patients with multiple myeloma who relapse on thalidomide may present with extramedullary plasmacytomas, as seen in this case. Therefore, whenever symptoms arise in patients with multiple myeloma who are receiving thalidomide, extramedullary plasmacytomas should be considered.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Asthenia / etiology
  • Biopsy
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Cells / pathology
  • Boronic Acids / therapeutic use
  • Bortezomib
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Myeloma / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Plasma Cells / pathology
  • Plasmacytoma / drug therapy
  • Plasmacytoma / pathology*
  • Pyrazines / therapeutic use
  • Recurrence
  • Thalidomide / adverse effects
  • Thalidomide / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Boronic Acids
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Pyrazines
  • Thalidomide
  • Bortezomib