Plasma cell neoplasia with osteosclerotic lesions. A study of five cases and a review of the literature

Abstract

Sixty-eight patients with plasmacytic neoplasia and osteosclerotic lesions were analyzed. Men predominated in this series. Mean age was 55.3 yr and 26 patients were younger than 51 yr at diagnosis. Early onset of disease was statistically different from multiple myeloma in general. Thirty patients had peripheral polyneuropathy and often neurological manifestations preceded other symptoms. Skeletal pain was less common, whereas hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy were more common than in myeloma in general. Incidence of azotemia, hypercalcemia, high ESR [erythrocyte sedimentation rate] and anemia was lower than in myeloma. In 1/4 of the patients, the number of skeletal lesions did not exceed three. Mean survival was < 20 mo. from the 1st symptom and 12 mo. from diagnosis. Mortality was sometimes related to polyneuropathy. In several aspects, plasmacytic neoplasia with osteosclerotic lesions is different from the classical multiple myeloma.