Unusual evolution of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia into osteolytic myeloma.
We report the unusual transformation of a case of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) into IgM multiple myeloma (MM). The initial clinical and biological presentation of the disease was typical smouldering WM, with lymphocytic infiltration of the bone marrow. Five years later, signs of transformation appeared: the patient presented with diffuse osteolytic bone lesions without organomegaly, and the bone marrow was infiltrated with characteristic malignant plasma cells. Electron microscopy (EM) examination showed that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the dysmorphic plasma cells contained monoclonal IgM. Immunolabeling for calreticulin, a resident protein of the ER, demonstrated unequivocally that the characteristic intranuclear inclusions were indeed part of ER. Flow cytometry revealed an MM profile for the cellular proliferation. Molecular biology performed on the final marrow could only retrieve a single cellular clone. In conclusion, this is the first documented description of the transformation of typical WM into an aggressive form of MM.
Jondeau
Katayoun
K
Service d'Hématologie et d'Immunologie, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne, France.
Alterescu
Raluca
R
Franc
Brigitte
B
Davi
Frédéric
F
Massé
Jean-Marc
JM
Boukour
Siham
S
Le Parc
Jean-Marie
JM
Cramer
Elisabeth M
EM
D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D018450:Disease Progression; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000209:etiology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000473:pathology*