title: Cytodiagnosis of extrapleural tumors in multiple myeloma by fine needle aspiration. A report of three cases.
abstract: Cytologic and immunocytochemical studies were done on fine needle aspirates of extrapleural tumors from three patients with multiple myeloma. In the first case the cytologic findings were consistent with myeloma, but the immunochemical studies were done improperly and were not interpretable. In the second case the cytologic findings were those of acute inflammation despite the strong clinical suspicion of the thoracic lesion's malignancy. In the third case both the cytologic and immunocytochemical findings were diagnostic of plasmacytoma. Our experience with these cases suggests that an assessment of the nature of the extrapleural tumor is indicated even in patients with known myeloma, that fine needle aspiration (FNA) is the diagnostic procedure of choice under the circumstances and that immunocytochemical studies can enhance the diagnostic accuracy of FNA for plasmacytoma. The best results for assessment of the cytologic FNA findings in extrapleural tumor in myeloma can be achieved by proper execution of both the FNA procedure and immunochemical studies and by interpretation of the cytologic findings within the context of the clinical findings.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, Kentucky 40206.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yam
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology*; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*