Plasmacytoma Research Articles

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma: is there still a place?

The introduction of novel agents dramatically improved response and outcomes of multiple myeloma (MM) and led to a sharp decline in the use of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Thus, recent guidelines do not recommend anymore allo-HSCT as consolidation in the first-line treatment of newly diagnosed MM, even in high-risk patients. In a relapsed/refractory setting, allo-HSCT is not routinely recommended but should only be performed within clinical trials in young and high-risk patients. Nonetheless, allo-HSCT still represents a potential curative approach that has been used for decades in the treatment of MM and plasma cell neoplasms with favorable results and may still represent a treatment option for carefully selected patients. Despite that promising results were obtained with CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies in triple- and penta-exposed/refractory MM, these patients will inevitably relapse. To date, less is known about outcomes of allo-HSCT in patients exposed to novel immunotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, allo-HSCT could represent a reasonable treatment choice for younger and high-risk patients who have relapsed after CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies as well as an alternative for patients not eligible to these treatments and in those countries where immunotherapies are not yet available. In the choice of conditioning, reduced intensity conditioning regimens are currently recommended for the lower toxicity and mortality. Moreover, the use of alternative donors, particularly haploidentical, has progressively increased in last years with results comparable to full matched donors. Finally, post-transplantation maintenance strategies are encouraged whenever feasible.

Extramedullary Intracranial Plasmacytomas: A Systematic Review of Literature.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is an uncommon disorder characterized by the development of abnormal plasma cell tumors outside the bone marrow. These tumors are typically observed in various locations, including the upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and other soft tissues. Among the less explored manifestations of EMP is intracranial EMP, which remains poorly understood due to the limited literature available on the subject. The objective was to comprehend the population characteristics, localization, type, treatment, and outcomes of intracranial EMP. A systematic review of the literature for EMPs was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The strategy "extramedullary plasmacytoma AND multiple myeloma" was used for the search. The search terms were queried using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. We included only those studies that presented clinical studies with patients diagnosed with intracranial plasmacytomas. In this study, a total of 84 patients from 25 studies were analyzed. The average age of diagnosis was 57.25 years, with a slightly higher proportion of females (57%) compared to male patients (43%). The most common locations of intracranial plasmacytomas were the clivus (29.7%), frontal lobe (18.9%), parietal lobe (8.1%), occipital lobe (6.7%), temporal lobe (6.7%), and sphenoid (4%). Chordoma and meningioma were the most common differential diagnoses encountered during clinical investigations. Treatment modalities included radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy (QT), surgical resection (SR), and conservative approaches. The most frequent treatment combinations were SR + RT (19%) and RT only (17.8%). Mortality was reported in 48% of the cases, with complete resolution observed in 10 cases and partial resolution in 3 cases. The average follow-up duration was 37.5 months. The clivus is the most frequently reported site of extramedullary intracranial plasmacytoma (EMIP) occurrence, representing 29.7% of cases. Chordomas were commonly observed alongside EMIPs and emerged as the primary differential diagnosis. RT was the predominant treatment modality, with SR considered when feasible. RT alone demonstrated the highest effectiveness in managing EMIPs (30%), while QT as a sole intervention showed lower efficacy. However, a combination of dexamethasone, lenalidomide, and targeted RT displayed promising results, offering improved tumor response and increased safety.

Longer-term follow-up of patients (pts) receiving prophylactic tocilizumab (toci) for the reduction of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in the phase 1/2 MajesTEC-1 study of teclistamab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

7517 Background: Emerging data suggest that administering toci prior to bispecific antibodies reduces the incidence of CRS, which may support outpatient therapy initiation. We previously showed that the incidence of CRS with teclistamab, the first approved BCMA×CD3 bispecific antibody with weight-based dosing for the treatment of pts with triple-class exposed RRMM, was reduced from 72% in the overall MajesTEC-1 study population to 26% in a cohort receiving a single dose of toci before the first teclistamab step-up dose. Here, we present an updated analysis with longer-term follow-up. Methods: Pts with triple-class exposed RRMM received subcutaneous teclistamab 1.5 mg/kg weekly in a prospective exploratory cohort or at a comparable fixed dose, following 2 step-up doses. Toci 8 mg/kg was given intravenously ≤4 hours before the first teclistamab step-up dose. CRS was graded per Lee et al ( Blood 2014;124:188-95) and managed per the study protocol. Results: This analysis included 24 pts with median follow-up 8.1 months (range, 0.9–13.2). Median age was 72 years (range, 50–82); 100% had ECOG PS score ≤1; 96% had International Staging System stage I/II; 74% had standard-risk cytogenetics; 21% had extramedullary plasmacytomas; 33% had ≥30% bone marrow plasma cells (biopsy or aspirate). Pts had a median of 4 prior lines of therapy (range, 2–9); 58% were triple-class refractory. CRS occurred in 6 pts (25%; 2 grade 1, 4 grade 2, no grade ≥3); 3 pts each had 1 recurrent CRS event. Median time to CRS onset was 2 days (range, 1–3); median duration was 2 days (range, 2–4). CRS was managed with additional toci in 5/6 pts and steroids in 1/6; all CRS events resolved and none led to teclistamab discontinuation. Most common adverse events (AEs; any grade/grade 3/4) were infections (79%/25%), neutropenia (63%/63%), and anemia (58%/25%); 5 pts had a neurotoxicity AE (grade 1 dizziness; grade 1 headache; grade 1 insomnia; grade 2 headache; grade 2 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome). Overall response rate (n=22) was 73% (59% very good partial response or better). Timing of interleukin (IL)-6 induction in the prophylactic toci cohort was consistent with the phase 1 MajesTEC-1 population, with higher IL-6 levels as observed in other studies of IL-6 receptor-blocking antibodies. Conclusions: Prophylactic toci reduced the incidence of CRS with teclistamab, with a 65% relative reduction vs the overall MajesTEC-1 population (grade 1, 8% vs 50%; grade 2, 17% vs 21%). No new safety signals or impact on response to teclistamab was observed with longer follow-up. Prophylactic toci may be a useful measure to consider when selecting pts for outpatient administration of teclistamab in the future. This approach is being evaluated in the phase 2, multicenter, prospective OPTec study (NCT05972135). Clinical trial information: NCT03145181 / NCT04557098 .

Real-world outcomes of teclistamab for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma at UC San Diego Health: A single-institution experience.

e19504 Background: Bispecific antibodies (BsAb) are emerging as a promising class of cancer immunotherapy. Teclistamab, a BsAb targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) expressed on plasma cells, received FDA approval for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) in 2022. Here we describe the real-world experience of teclistamab at a single institution. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with R/R MM who received teclistamab at University of California San Diego and had at least 6 months of follow up. Baseline characteristics, efficacy outcomes, and safety outcomes were collected. Kaplan-Meier method was used to describe survival. Results: A total of 18 patients who received teclistamab between 01/01/2023 and 06/15/2023 were included in this analysis. The median age was 67 years old (range 50-83). Median prior lines of therapy was 6.5 (range 3-11). All patients had triple-refractory disease; all but one had penta-refractory disease. Approximately 44% of patients had extramedullary plasmacytomas at time of BsAb initiation; 39% had received prior BCMA therapy (2 belantamab, 5 ide-cel) before teclistamab. High-risk cytogenetics (t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20), Del17p, Gain1q) were characterized for 13 patients with data available. 6 had a single high-risk mutation, 4 had two, and 1 had three. Incidence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was 12 (67%); (4 (33%) grade 2, no grade 3-5). 6 (50%) received tocilizumab to treat CRS. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) incidence was 2 (11%); (1 (50%) grade 2, no grade 3-5). Pain crisis occurred in 11% of patients. The incidence of infection was 67%; the majority were grade ≥ 3. The overall response rate (ORR) by IMWG criteria was 50%. All patients who responded had a very good partial response (VGPR) or better; further response data was not available due to the lack of restaging bone marrow biopsies during treatment. Median duration of response for the entire cohort was not reached. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.5 months (95% CI 1.0 – not reached); median overall survival (OS) was not reached (95% CI 7.8 – not reached).Univariate analyses showed no statistically significant relationship between response and prior BCMA therapy (p=.91), response and presence of extramedullary disease (p=.31), or response and mSMART risk stratification (p=.13). Conclusions: Overall, the incidence and grades of CRS, ICANS, and infection in our cohort were similar to those observed in the phase I/II MajesTEC-1 trial. In contrast, the ORR and PFS in this study were lower compared to the MajesTEC-1 study. This difference may be due to a greater proportion of patients with high-risk cytogenetics and more aggressive disease, as depicted by the higher median prior lines of therapy and higher rates of extra-medullary plasmacytomas and triple-/penta-class refractory disease.

The clinical utility of a circulating tumor cell based cerebrospinal fluid assay in the diagnosis and molecular analysis of leptomeningeal disease in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

8644 Background: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). The standard of care for diagnosing LMD remains magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology, but these have limited sensitivity. CSF-based liquid biopsy is an emerging strategy for dynamic assessments of CSF-derived tumor cells to monitor intracranial responses and CNS clonal evolution during treatment and at progression. However, data for the feasibility and utility of this approach is limited. We describe our clinical experience to evaluate the use of molecular analysis on CSF-derived circulating tumor cells (CTCs) for mNSCLC. Methods: Patients with mNSCLC who had a lumbar puncture for CSF collection as part of routine clinical care to rule out LMD were included in the study. CSF was evaluated for CTCs and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) with a commercially available assay (CNSide) and subsequent molecular profiling was performed to detect actionable mutations. Patients were analyzed for LMD with CSF cytology and MRI imaging. Molecular testing results from sequencing of tumor tissue and plasma cell tumor DNA were available for all patients. Other than copy number amplification detection for MET, the CSF assay allowed for analysis of MET and HER2 expression via fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Results: The study included 22 patients with mNSCLC (77% female; median age 60 years; 95% adenocarcinoma). Sensitizing EGFR mutations were found in 78% of patients and 18% had an atypical EGFR mutation at initial diagnosis. LMD was diagnosed using the CSF CTC assay in thirteen of the 22 patients (59%) patients. CSF cytology was negative for LMD in five of 13 cases (38%) and furthermore, 2 of these cases (15%) had normal MRI brain imaging. There were sufficient CTCs to perform molecular profiling on seven of the 13 patients (54%). The concordance with tissue NGS was 100% and the driver mutation was identified in all 7 patients with the CSF CTC assay. MET expression and HER2 expression via FISH were noted in 11 patients (50%) and 4 patients (18%) respectively. Conclusions: In this single institution study, we detected a higher sensitivity to diagnose LMD with CNSide. This CSF assay identified 38% of LMD cases which were missed by standard CSF cytology and of note, 15% of the cases found with LMD were missed by both CSF cytology and MRI. In addition, CSF molecular testing using this assay demonstrated high concordance with tissue-based molecular testing. The study illustrates that multigene molecular analysis of CSF CTCs can be a useful tool for diagnosis, monitoring of response to therapy, as well as for the identification of therapeutic targets specific to the CSF especially for patients with oncogene-driven mNSCLC.

Novel method for the detection of circulating tumor plasma cells in multiple myeloma.

e19520 Background: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is characterized by the proliferation of abnormal plasma cells within the bone marrow. A bone marrow examination is essential for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. This is a test that causes great pain to patients because it requires collecting and analyzing the bone marrow fluid inside the bone. In addition, there is a disadvantage that it cannot be carried out frequently due to cost issues. Therefore, the development of new diagnostic methods is absolutely necessary. The aim of this study is to access the potential of circulating tumor plasma cells (CTPC) for the diagnosis of MM using CytoGen's Smart Biopsy platform. Methods: Spiking tests using MM cell line (RPMI8226) was conducted with the purpose of making an environment similar to the MM patient's blood. RPMI8226 cells (200 cells) stained with CellTracker were spiked into human blood sample (5mL, healthy donor). Then, spiked cells were isolated by CytoGen’s Smart Biopsy isolator, subsequently recovery rate was accessed by counting of isolated RPMI8226 or immunofluorescence (IF) staining with multiple myeloma-specific marker, CD138. Then, clinical evaluation was performed with bone marrow (3mL) and peripheral blood (5mL) samples of MM patients (n=20). The presence of CTPC in patient samples was tested by IF staining with anti-CD138 antibody. Results: In in vitro experiments to test recovery rate of CTPC using CytoGen's Smart Biopsy isolator, MM cell line’s recovery rate was validated to over 80%. CD138 expression was clearly detected by IF staining of spiking samples of multiple myeloma cell line and was not detected at all in the negative controls. In clinical evaluation study, CTPC was successfully observed after the isolation from bone marrow and peripheral blood using CytoGen's Smart Biopsy isolator by IF staining with CD138. Conclusions: This study shows a novel method for the detection of MM with liquid biopsy. CTPC from liquid biopsy of MM could be isolated using CytoGen's Smart Biopsy isolator with high recovery rate and can clearly be detected with specific marker of MM, CD138 by IF staining. These results suggested that CytoGen's Smart Biopsy platform might be an effective diagnostic tool for the detection of MM. Expanded clinical study will be performed with more MM samples for clinical validation. Clinical trial information: 2013-09-009 .

Extramedullary plasmacytoma exclusively localized in transplanted kidney: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder or monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance?

Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease (PTLD) is defined as a malignancy that occurs post solid organ transplant (SOT). The incidence of PTLD in kidney transplant is lowest amongst all SOT with a majority having a monomorphic pattern that is commonly B cell driven. Plasmacytic variants of PTLD have been rarely reported, with only a handful of cases being clonal in nature. Here we report a unique case of a plasmacytoma-like PTLD with IgG-K restriction confined entirely to the kidney allograft, without evidence of any clonal plasma cell in the bone marrow or other extramedullary site. This case highlights an extremely rare disease, describes a diagnostic dilemma, reports the unconventional management, and poses more interesting questions about the pathophysiology of this disease.

Survival outcomes in patients with primary plasma cell leukemia treated with novel therapies at University of California San Diego Health: A single institution experience.

e19538 Background: Plasma Cell Leukemia (PCL) is a rare, but aggressive and devastating disease for which there is a paucity of data regarding the efficacy and safety of modern therapies to guide management. Data prior to the use of modern therapies showed abysmal overall survival (OS) of approximately 4-12 months. There is generally agreement that novel therapies have improved outcomes, but data supporting this is sparse due to the rarity of the disease. As such, there is currently no standard of care agreed upon by experts, and the specific approach for treatment currently varies by provider. Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we review the outcomes of patients diagnosed with primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) from 2008 to 2023 who received at least one of the novel therapies of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiD), protease inhibitors (PI), and/or anti-CD38 antibodies at University of California San Diego Health. Baseline characteristics and efficacy outcomes were collected. Results: A total of 11 patients were identified who met the inclusion criteria. The median age at time of diagnosis was 50. The median circulating plasma cells at diagnosis was 34%. All but 2 patients had > 20% circulating plasma cells. The remaining two had circulating plasma cells of 10% and 14% meeting the newly re-worked definition of plasma cell leukemia. One patient had a single extramedullary plasmacytoma at the time of diagnosis. High risk cytogenetics, defined as having t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20), Del17p, Gain1q, were characterized for all patients. 4 had one high risk mutation, 3 had two mutations. Only one patient’s first line did not include any of the novel therapies. 81% of patients’ first line of therapy included a form of cytotoxic chemotherapy (of which 55% of those were cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide (PACE)). The most common first line of therapy was bortezomib (V), dexamethasone (D), PACE, +/- thalidomide (T) or lenalidomide (R), and +/- stem cell transplant (SCT). The other 19% of first line therapies contained exclusively novel therapies; namely VTD and daratumamab-RVD. Seven patients underwent SCT. One patient who underwent allogeneic transplant as part of their first line therapy has not yet relapsed 5 years post-transplant. Median OS was 28.8 months (95% CI 17.3 –not reached (NR)). First progression free survival (PFS) was 5.7 months (95% CI 2.3 – NR). For patients with available data, overall response rate (ORR) to 1st line of therapy was 60%. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the outcomes of patients with PCL have greatly improved with the use of novel therapies. The small sample size and heterogeneity of the treatments prohibited correlative statistical analysis. Prospective studies are needed to determine the best treatment option for this high-risk population which is excluded from most myeloma trials.

VEXAS syndrome.

VEXAS syndrome is a recently identified, adult-onset autoinflammatory disease caused by somatic mutations in UBA1. UBA1 is an X-linked gene encoding E1 ubiquitin activating enzyme and its mutation in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells leads to their clonal expansion and myeloid-skewed differentiation. UBA1 mutations in VEXAS are clustered at the second methionine (p.Met41), eliminating UBA1b isoform translated from p.Met41. Loss of UBA1b impairs ubiquitination and activates innate immune pathways, leading to systemic autoinflammation manifested as recurrent fever, chondritis, pulmonary involvement, vasculitis, or neutrophilic dermatitis. VEXAS syndrome is frequently associated with hematological disorders such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), plasma cell dyscrasia and venous thromboembolism. Macrocytic anemia/macrocytosis and vacuoles in myeloid/erythroid precursors are prominent features of VEXAS syndrome, and their presence in patients with autoinflammatory symptoms prompts physicians to screen for UBA1 variant. Treatment of VEXAS syndrome is challenging and no consistently effective therapies have been established. Anti-inflammation therapies including glucocorticoids and anti-interleukin-6 have shown limited efficacy, while azacytidine and JAK inhibitors such as ruxolitinib were found to induce favorable, mid-term responses. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only curative option for VEXAS and should be considered for younger, fit patients with poor prognostic factors or recalcitrant symptoms.

Paraproteinemic neuropathies.

The diagnostic evaluation of a peripheral neuropathy includes testing for the presence of monoclonal gammopathy, which can be found in about 10% of patients with peripheral neuropathy. Our role, as physicians, is to determine whether the neuropathy is directly related to the gammopathy or whether the co-occurrence of these two disorders is purely coincidental. The evaluating physician needs to be familiar with the different types of neuropathies associated with monoclonal gammopathies, their clinical and electrodiagnostic characteristics, and their appropriate diagnostic evaluation and management. Testing for monoclonal protein disorders includes serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and immunofixation of blood, and in some cases of urine, as well as measurement of free light chains and quantitative immunoglobulins. Specific antibody testing is directed by paraprotein type and neuropathy phenotype. Patients with abnormal free light chains in association with sensory and autonomic neuropathy should be evaluated for AL amyloidosis. When a lambda monoclonal protein is identified together with a clinical phenotype of chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP), a diagnosis of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal plasma cell disorder, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome should be considered. Patients with IgM paraprotein associated neuropathy should be assessed for distal acquired demyelinating sensorimotor (DADS) neuropathy, with or without anti myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) antibody or CANOMAD syndrome. In many cases, a monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS) is incidental and unrelated to the neuropathy. Collaboration with oncology is critical in evaluating patients with monoclonal proteins to assess for underlying plasma cell neoplasms or B cell lymphomas.

Autoimmune Diseases and Plasma Cells Dyscrasias: Pathogenetic, Molecular and Prognostic Correlations.

Multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance are plasma cell dyscrasias characterized by monoclonal proliferation of pathological plasma cells with uncontrolled production of immunoglobulins. Autoimmune pathologies are conditions in which T and B lymphocytes develop a tendency to activate towards self-antigens in the absence of exogenous triggers. The aim of our review is to show the possible correlations between the two pathological aspects. Molecular studies have shown how different cytokines that either cause inflammation or control the immune system play a part in the growth of immunotolerance conditions that make it easier for the development of neoplastic malignancies. Uncontrolled immune activation resulting in chronic inflammation is also known to be at the basis of the evolution toward neoplastic pathologies, as well as multiple myeloma. Another point is the impact that myeloma-specific therapies have on the course of concomitant autoimmune diseases. Indeed, cases have been observed of patients suffering from multiple myeloma treated with daratumumab and bortezomib who also benefited from their autoimmune condition or patients under treatment with immunomodulators in which there has been an arising or worsening of autoimmunity conditions. The role of bone marrow transplantation in the course of concomitant autoimmune diseases remains under analysis.

Daratumumab-based regimens for patients with multiple myeloma plus extramedullary plasmacytomas or paraskeletal plasmacytomas: initial follow-up of an Italian multicenter observational clinical experience.

Myeloma with extramedullary plasmacytomas not adjacent to bone (EMP) is associated with an extremely poor outcome compared with paraosseous plasmacytomas (PP) as current therapeutic approaches are unsatisfactory. The role of new molecules and in particular of monoclonal antibodies is under investigation. To determine whether daratumumab-based regimens are effective for myeloma with EMP, we report herein an initial multicenter observational analysis of 102 myeloma patients with EMP (n = 10) and PP (n = 25) at diagnosis and EMP (n = 28) and PP (n = 39) at relapse, treated with daratumumab-based regimens at 11 Haematological Centers in Italy.EMP and PP at diagnosis were associated with higher biochemical (90% vs. 96%, respectively) and instrumental ORR (86% vs. 83.3%, respectively), while at relapse, biochemical (74% vs. 73%) and instrumental (53% vs. 59%) ORR were lower. Median OS was inferior in EMP patients compared with patients with PP both at diagnosis (21.0 months vs. NR) (p = 0.005) and at relapse (32.0 vs. 40.0 months) (p = 0.428), although, during relapse, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Surprisingly, at diagnosis, median TTP and median TTNT were not reached either in EMP patients or PP patients and during relapse there were no statistically significant differences in terms of median TTP (20 months for two groups), and median TTNT (24 months for PP patients vs. 22 months for EMP patients) between the two groups. Median TTR was 1 month in all populations.These promising results were documented even in the absence of local radiotherapy and in transplant-ineligible patients.

New classifications of B-cell neoplasms: a comparison of 5th WHO and International Consensus classifications.

In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a new classification of lymphoid neoplasms, a revision of the previously used Revised 4th Edition of their classification (WHO-4R). However, this means that two classifications are now in simultaneous use: the 5th Edition of the WHO classification (WHO-5) and the International Consensus Classification (ICC). Instead of a comprehensive review of each disease entity, as already described elsewhere, this review focuses on revisions made in both the WHO-5 and ICC from WHO-4R and discrepancies between them regarding B-cell neoplasms. Similarities include cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma, cold agglutinin disease, non-primary effusion lymphoma-type effusion-based lymphoma, and gray zone lymphoma. Differences include plasma cell neoplasms, high-grade B-cell lymphoma (double hit lymphoma), follicular lymphoma, LPD with immune deficiency and dysregulation, extranodal large B-cell lymphoma, transformations of indolent B-cell lymphomas, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified. Understanding the similarities and differences between the two latest classifications will aid daily diagnostic practice and future research on lymphoid neoplasms.

Monoclonal gammopathy in the setting of Pyoderma gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by ulcerative painful lesions with violaceous undermined borders. Up to 75% of PG cases develop in association with an underlying systemic disease. Monoclonal gammopathy is reportedly a concomitant condition with PG, with studies indicating immunoglobulin (Ig) A gammopathy as the most common. Whether gammopathy is associated with PG or is an incidental finding has been debated. We sought to investigate the association and characteristics of gammopathy in patients with PG. We retrospectively identified PG patients at our institution from 2010 to 2022 who were screened for plasma cell dyscrasia. Of 106 patients identified, 29 (27%) had a gammopathy; subtypes included IgA (41%), IgG (28%), and biclonal (IgA and IgG) (14%). Mean age was similar between those with and without gammopathy (60.7 vs. 55.9 years; P = .26). In addition, hematologic or solid organ cancer developed in significantly more patients with vs. without gammopathy (8/29 [28%] vs. 5/77 [6%]; P = .003). Among the subtypes of gammopathy, IgG monoclonal gammopathy had the highest proportion of patients with subsequent cancer development (4 of 8 patients, 50%). Study limitations include a retrospective, single-institution design with a limited number of patients. Overall, our data show a high prevalence of gammopathy in patients with PG; those patients additionally had an increased incidence of cancer, especially hematologic cancer.

Multiple Myeloma Revealed by a Plasmacytoma of the Sphenoid Sinus in a Young Subject: Case Report

Extramedullary plasmacytomas are a rare entity. They represent less than 1% of malignant head and neck tumors. We report the case of a 42-year-old patient complaining of headache, ptosis of the right eye and hypoesthesia of the face evolving for a few weeks. MRI showed a mass in the sphenoid sinus with local extension. The myelogram objectified the presence of 60% dystrophic plasma cells, which confirms the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. The patient received chemotherapy with a good course. Here, we report a rare case of sphenoidal sinus plasmacytoma that evolved into multiple myeloma.

The genomic landscape of Vk*MYC myeloma highlights shared pathways of transformation between mice and humans

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by frequent MYC translocations. Sporadic MYC activation in the germinal center of genetically engineered Vk*MYC mice is sufficient to induce plasma cell tumors in which a variety of secondary mutations are spontaneously acquired and selected over time. Analysis of 119 Vk*MYC myeloma reveals recurrent copy number alterations, structural variations, chromothripsis, driver mutations, apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) mutational activity, and a progressive decrease in immunoglobulin transcription that inversely correlates with proliferation. Moreover, we identify frequent insertional mutagenesis by endogenous retro-elements as a murine specific mechanism to activate NF-kB and IL6 signaling pathways shared with human MM. Despite the increased genomic complexity associated with progression, advanced tumors remain dependent on MYC. In summary, here we credential the Vk*MYC mouse as a unique resource to explore MM genomic evolution and describe a fully annotated collection of diverse and immortalized murine MM tumors.

CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for extramedullary plasmacytoma in the external auditory canal: illustrative case.

Plasmacytoma, a rare plasma cell disorder, often presents as a solitary or multiple tumors within the bone marrow or soft tissues, typically associated with multiple myeloma. Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs), particularly those located in the external auditory canal (EAC), are exceedingly rare and pose significant treatment challenges given their location, anatomical complexity, and high risk of recurrence. The authors report the case of a 72-year-old male with a history of multiple myeloma, presenting with recurrent left EAC plasmacytoma. After initial conventional radiotherapy for the lesion, a recurrence was documented in 7 years. The patient subsequently underwent stereotactic radiosurgery, which proved successful, leading to complete resolution of the lesion without any long-term adverse effects or radiation-related complications over a 45-month period. This case is a unique instance of utilizing stereotactic radiosurgery for recurrent EMP in the EAC, highlighting its potential as an effective approach in managing complex plasmacytomas.

Detection of clonal plasma cells in POEMS syndrome using multiparameter flow cytometry

POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein [M-protein], and skin changes) is a rare systemic disorder characterized by various symptoms caused by underlying plasma cell (PC) dyscrasia. Detection of monoclonal PCs is mandatory for the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome; however, the usefulness of EuroFlow-based next-generation flow cytometry (EuroFlow-NGF) in POEMS syndrome for detecting monoclonal PCs in bone marrow (BM) and the gating strategy suitable for flow cytometry study of POEMS syndrome remain unknown. We employed EuroFlow-NGF-based single-tube eight-color multiparameter flow cytometry (MM-flow) and established a new gating strategy (POEMS-flow) to detect the monoclonal PCs in POEMS syndrome, gating CD38 broadly from dim to bright and CD45 narrowly from negative to dim compared to MM-flow. MM-flow detected monoclonal PCs in 9/25 (36.0%) cases, including 2/2 immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE)-negative cases (100%). However, POEMS-flow detected monoclonal PCs in 18/25 cases (72.0%), including 2/2 IFE-negative cases (100%). POEMS-flow detected monoclonal PCs with immunophenotypes of CD19− in 17/18 (94.4%). In six cases where post-treatment samples were available, the size of the clones was significantly reduced after the treatment (P = 0.031). POEMS-flow can enhance the identification rate of monoclonal PCs in POEMS syndrome and become a valuable tool for the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome.

Starry Sky Appearance of an Amyloid Heart in Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

We report an extremely rare case of amyloid heart with classical “Starry Sky” appearance in echocardiography in a 52-year-old male presenting with systemic amyloidosis secondary to plasma cell dyscrasias. Interestingly, patient presented with diffuse myalgia unresponsive to traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with effort dyspnea New York Heart Association Class II secondary to Grade II diastolic dysfunction of stiff myocardium infiltrated with amyloid protein. A starry sky pattern of an amyloid heart led to the retrospective diagnosis of plasma cell dyscrasias with presence of 30% plasma cells in bone marrow biopsy without the presence of M band in serum electrophoresis.

Long-term survival for lymphoid neoplasms and national health expenditure (EUROCARE-6): a retrospective, population-based study

Management of lymphoid malignancies requires substantial health system resources. Total national health expenditure might influence population-based lymphoid malignancy survival. We studied the long-term survival of patients with 12 lymphoid malignancy types and examined whether different levels of national health expenditure might explain differences in lymphoid malignancy prognosis between European countries and regions. For this observational, retrospective, population-based study, we analysed the EUROCARE-6 dataset of patients aged 15 or older diagnosed between 2001 and 2013 with one of 12 lymphoid malignancies defined according to International Classification of Disease for Oncology (third edition) and WHO classification, and followed up to 2014 (Jan 1, 2001-Dec 31, 2014). Countries were classified according to their mean total national health expenditure quartile in 2001-13. For each lymphoid malignancy, 5-year and 10-year age-standardised relative survival (ASRS) was calculated using the period approach. Generalised linear models indicated the effects of age at diagnosis, gender, and total national health expenditure on the relative excess risk of death (RER). 82 cancer registries (61 regional and 21 national) from 27 European countries provided data eligible for 10-year survival estimates comprising 890 730 lymphoid malignancy cases diagnosed in 2001-13. Median follow-up time was 13 years (IQR 13-14). Of the 12 lymphoid malignancies, the 10-year ASRS in Europe was highest for hairy cell leukaemia (82·6% [95% CI 78·9-86·5) and Hodgkin lymphoma (79·3% [78·6-79·9]) and lowest for plasma cell neoplasms (29·5% [28·9-30·0]). RER increased with age at diagnosis, particularly from 55-64 years to 75 years or older, for all lymphoid malignancies. Women had higher ASRS than men for all lymphoid malignancies, except for precursor B, T, or natural killer cell, or not-otherwise specified lymphoblastic lymphoma or leukaemia. 10-year ASRS for each lymphoid malignancy was higher (and the RER lower) in countries in the highest national health expenditure quartile than in countries in the lowest quartile, with a decreasing pattern through quartiles for many lymphoid malignancies. 10-year ASRS for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the most representative class for lymphoid malignancies based on the number of incident cases, was 59·3% (95% CI 58·7-60·0) in the first quartile, 57·6% (55·2-58·7) in the second quartile, 55·4% (54·3-56·5) in the third quartile, and 44·7% (43·6-45·8) in the fourth quartile; with reference to the European mean, the RER was 0·80 (95% CI 0·79-0·82) in the first, 0·91 (0·90-0·93) in the second, 0·94 (0·92-0·96) in the third, and 1·45 (1·42-1·48) in the fourth quartiles. Total national health expenditure is associated with geographical inequalities in lymphoid malignancy prognosis. Policy decisions on allocating economic resources and implementing evidence-based models of care are needed to reduce these differences. Italian Ministry of Health, European Commission, Estonian Research Council.