Plasma cell neoplasms in HIV-Infected Patients: A Literature Review and Case Series

Abstract

Aim. Analysis of 37 published and 2 author's cases of multiple myeloma (MM) in HIV-positive patients. Materials & Methods. Description of 37 patients and 2 author's previously unpublished observations. Results. The median age of patients was 37 years (66 in the general population), only 2 % being under 40 years. Abnormal MM progression was observed including the emergence of extramedullary lesions, low levels of M-gradient, and the development of plasmoblastic leukemia. Historically, before highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was introduced, a rapid progression of MM with a short life expectancy was observed. HAART in combination with chemotherapy showed the best results of MM treatment in terms of overall and relapse-free survival. According to the literature data HAART may also be used to treat HIV-negative patients with MM. The cytological analysis of MM showed atypical myeloma cells with no lysozyme, leukocyte common antigen, CD19, and CD20. The CD38 was clearly identified. Anaplastic MM may be regarded as the first manifestation of AIDS. The author's results were similar to the published data. Conclusion. MM in HIV-infected patients in stage with secondary diseases is still considered to be not HIV-related. In HIV-positive MM patients on HAART overall and relapse-free survival rates were higher than that in HIV-negative patients with MM. The serum levels M-gradient was shown to decrease or even become indeterminate in MM patients receiving HAART for HIV infection. Thus, the HAART was proposed for MM HIV-negative patients.