Myelomatous Pleural Effusion in a Relapse Plasmablastic Myeloma

Abstract

Multiple myeloma is characterised by malignant proliferation of plasma cells in bone marrow with rare involvement of peripheral blood (plasma cell leukaemia). Sometimes tissue involvement (plasmacytoma) is also seen. However, pleural effusion is very rare in myeloma patients. Pleural effusion in myeloma is usually secondary and reactive in nature. Malignant Myelomatous Pleural Effusion (MPE) is usually associated with poor prognosis. Hereby, the author report a case of a 46-year-old male who presented with groin pain with ureteric calculus. The patient was diagnosed with multiple myeloma with 42% plasma cells in the marrow. On treatment, patient went into remission, however he relapsed twice. On second relapse, the marrow examination showed plasma cells with plasmablastic morphology (24%). Plasmablastic morphology is associated with poor prognosis. The patient also developed pleural effusion. The cytospin smears of the pleural fluid showed clusters of atypical plasma cells (positive for CD38, CD138 and kappa light chain restriction). Thus, the present case report an extremely rare presentation of multiple myeloma with plasmablastic morphology and MPE.