Clinical and pathologic findings in 52 consecutively autopsied cases with multiple myeloma.
We studied clinical features and pathologic findings in 52 consecutively autopsied patients with multiple myeloma in our center between 1979 and 1998. Distant extraosseous involvement was found in 33 patients (63.5%). Thirty-one patients (59.6%) were proven to have infection at autopsy, among which pneumonia was most common site of infection. Amyloidosis was shown in 8 patients. Second malignancies were observed in 4 cases. The three major causes of death were hemorrhage, infection, and renal failure, which accounted for death in approximately 70% of the patients. Advances in the anticancer and antimicrobial chemotherapies might have decreased deaths due to myeloma itself or infection.
Oshima
K
K
Department of Hematology, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo, Japan.
Kanda
Y
Y
Nannya
Y
Y
Kaneko
M
M
Hamaki
T
T
Suguro
M
M
Yamamoto
R
R
Chizuka
A
A
Matsuyama
T
T
Takezako
N
N
Miwa
A
A
Togawa
A
A
Niino
H
H
Nasu
M
M
Saito
K
K
Morita
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies