The Detection of Pancreatic and Retroperitoneal Plasmacytoma Helped to Diagnose Multiple Myeloma: A Case Report

Medicine (Baltimore). 2015 Jul;94(27):e914. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000000914.

Abstract

Multiple myeloma is characterized by the neoplastic proliferation of a single clone of plasma cells producing a monoclonal protein. However, the involvement of pancreas is a rare event. We herein report a rare case of pancreatic plasmacytoma, which was detected before the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.An 83-year-old male was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of obstructive jaundice and a pancreatic mass. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan revealed solid masses with homogenous enhancement in the pancreatic head and retroperitoneum. The histological findings of the retroperitoneal mass obtained by CT-guided biopsy showed multiple sheets of atypical plasma cells, which were positively immunostained for CD79a, CD138, and the κ light chain. Serum immunoelectrophoresis detected M-component of immunoglobulin A-κ, and the histological findings of the bone marrow revealed an abnormally increased number of atypical plasma cells with irregular nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuolation. The patient was therefore diagnosed to have multiple myeloma involving the pancreas and retroperitoneum. Although chemotherapy was performed, the patient died 6 months after the diagnosis.The pancreatic plasmacytoma was detected before the multiple myeloma in the present case. It is difficult to diagnose a pancreatic plasmacytoma without a history of multiple myeloma and related disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multiple Myeloma / diagnosis
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Plasmacytoma / diagnosis
  • Plasmacytoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Plasmacytoma / secondary*
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed