Clinical Case: Mr. Conrad's Nosebleed
 
Symptoms & History

Physical Findings

Stop & Think

Lab and X-Ray

Differential Diagnosis

The Disease

Treatment

Conclusions

Quiz & Evaluation


This adds up to a neoplastic disaster, multiple myeloma.
  • A neoplasm of terminally differentiated B cells.
    • Express CD38 and
    • Cytoplasmic immunoglobulins
  • High serum levels of a homogeneous immunoglobulin.
    • Or fragment of an immunoglobulin.
    • IgG is most common, but can be any class
    • Homogenous nature of the protein creates the spike on the electrophoresis .
    • Free light chains, known as Bence Jones proteins are small enough to be cleared in the kidney.
  • Genetic abnormality seen in 25% of cases, 
    • t(4;14)(p16.3;q32)
  • Older patients as a rule
  • Lytic lesions of bone often lead to pathological fractures.
  • Renal failure is common.
  • Excess immunoglobulins leads to primary amyloidosis.
Not all plasma cell neoplasms are myeloma .                Back
 

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