Early onset multiple myeloma in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report and literature review

Systemic lupus erythematosus associated with multiple myeloma: Two case reports and a literature review

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated by multiple myeloma (MM) is a relatively rare clinical presentation, and is easily ignored due to their similar or even identical manifestation, which may lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

CASE REPORT

We report two cases of SLE with MM. Case 1 was a 59-year-old male who was diagnosed with SLE 11 years ago. Abnormal kidney function was detected 4 months ago and a bone marrow aspirate revealed MM. He then received three cycles of bortezomib, dexamethasone, and chemotherapy with liposomal doxorubicin, and one cycle of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone. He died of infectious shock. Case 2 was a 58-year-old female who was diagnosed with SLE 27 years ago. After the onset of abnormal renal function 4 years ago, the patient was still treated according to SLE disease activity. When renal function rapidly deteriorated, serum and urine immunofixation electrophoresis was positive for IgG γ with free light chains and she was diagnosed with SLE complicated by MM. She did not agree to the treatment for MM as advised and was discharged from the hospital against medical advice. Case 2 died of cardiac failure. Thirteen cases of SLE with MM reported from 2000 to 2022 in PUBMED and Mendeley and our above two cases were reviewed. Among the 15 patients, 13 were females and 2 were males. The median age at the time of SLE with MM diagnosis was 50 years, and the median time to a delayed diagnosis was 7 years. The serum monoclonal immunoglobulin level was elevated and extramedullary manifestations of renal dysfunction were common.

CONCLUSIONS

An elevated monoclonal immunoglobulin level or newly unexplained renal dysfunction occurring in a patient with SLE should prompt monitoring and further screening of MM, rather than treatment as a secondary manifestation of SLE.

Prognosis of young patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is rare in young patients (age <40 years at diagnosis), with a prevalence of <0.3%, representing ~2% of all patients with MGUS. We hypothesized that MGUS detected in young patients may be associated with a higher risk of progression. We examined 249 patients with MGUS < 40 years old. Among these, 135 patients had immune-related conditions, including infections, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders at the time of diagnosis of MGUS. The risk of progression to multiple myeloma or a related disorder at 5 years and 10 years was 6.0% and 13.8%, respectively. The size of M protein was a significant risk factor for progression (HR 4.2, 95% CI 2.2–7.9). There was a trend that the risk of progression was higher in patients without immune-related conditions (HR 2.36, 95% CI 0.85–6.52, p = 0.088). The M protein resolved in 36 (14%) patients, with a greater likelihood of resolution in patients with immune-related conditions (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.02–3.6). Young patients with MGUS have a similar risk of progression as older patients, 1.4% per year. Over 50% are diagnosed in the setting of immune-related disorders. Patients with immune-related disorders may have a lower risk of progression.

Lupus mastitis with predominant kappa-restricted plasma cell infiltration: report of a rare case

Lupus mastitis (LM) is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). The clinical presentations of LM may mimic breast malignancy, and biopsy or excision is usually performed. Histologically, LM is featured by lymphoplasmacytic inflammation involving breast ducts, lobules, blood vessels and adipose tissue. Characteristic hyaline fat necrosis can be noted in most cases. Here, we reported a case of LM in an elderly female patient who presented with bilateral breast lesions. Histologically, the breast lesions showed prominent hyaline fat necrosis and predominantly plasmacytic inflammation involving breast ducts, vessels and fat lobules. Fibrinoid necrosis of vessels was also noted. The infiltrated plasma cells were Kappa light chain-restricted, but did not show the immunophenotypes for a plasma cell neoplasm. In addition, the patient developed Kappa-restricted plasma cell myeloma 2 years later. The patient was followed up for 8 years, and her breast lesion did not show recurrence. The patient’s unique clinicopathological presentations indicated a potential correlation between her LM and subsequently developed myeloma. It also indicated that the immunophenotypical characterization of infiltrated plasma cells in LM patients with predominant plasma cell infiltration may be important to rule out potential plasma cell neoplasms.

Non-lymphoma hematological malignancies in systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To describe non-lymphoma hematological malignancies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

A large SLE cohort was linked to cancer registries. We examined the types of non-lymphoma hematological cancers.

RESULTS

In 16,409 patients, 115 hematological cancers [including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)] occurred. Among these, 33 were non-lymphoma. Of the 33 non-lymphoma cases, 13 were of lymphoid lineage: multiple myeloma (n = 5), plasmacytoma (n = 3), B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL; n = 3), precursor cell lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 1) and unspecified lymphoid leukemia (n = 1). The remaining 20 cases were of myeloid lineage: MDS (n = 7), acute myeloid leukemia (AML; n = 7), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML; n = 2) and 4 unspecified leukemias. Most of these malignancies occurred in female Caucasians, except for plasma cell neoplasms (4/5 multiple myeloma and 1/3 plasmacytoma cases occurred in blacks).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large SLE cohort, the most common non-lymphoma hematological malignancies were myeloid types (MDS and AML). This is in contrast to the general population, where lymphoid types are 1.7 times more common than myeloid non-lymphoma hematological malignancies. Most (80%) multiple myeloma cases occurred in blacks; this requires further investigation.

Nodal and extranodal plasmacytomas expressing immunoglobulin a: an indolent lymphoproliferative disorder with a low risk of clinical progression

Plasmacytomas expressing immunoglobulin A are rare and not well characterized. In this study, 9 cases of IgA-positive plasmacytoma presenting in lymph node and 3 in extranodal sites were analyzed by morphology, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction examination of immunoglobulin heavy and κ light chain genes. Laboratory features were correlated with clinical findings. There were 7 males and 5 females; age range was 10 to 66 years (median, 32 y). Six of the patients were younger than 30 years of age, 5 of whom had nodal disease. About 67% (6 of 9) of the patients with nodal disease had evidence of immune system dysfunction, including human immunodeficiency virus infection, T-cell deficiency, autoantibodies, arthritis, Sjögren syndrome, and decreased B cells. An IgA M-spike was detected in 6 of 11 cases, and the M-protein was nearly always less than 30 g/L. All patients had an indolent clinical course without progression to plasma cell myeloma. Histologically, nodal IgA plasmacytomas showed an interfollicular or diffuse pattern of plasma cell infiltration. The plasma cells were generally of mature Marschalko type with little or mild pleomorphism and exclusive expression of monotypic IgA. There was an equal expression of κ and λ light chains (ratio 6:6). Clonality was showed in 9 of 12 cases: by polymerase chain reaction in 7 cases, by cytogenetic analysis in 1 case, and by immunofixation in 1 case. Clonality did not correlate with pattern of lymph node infiltration. Our results suggest that IgA plasmacytomas may represent a distinct form of extramedullary plasmacytoma characterized by younger age at presentation, frequent lymph node involvement, and low risk of progression to plasma cell myeloma.