title: Plasma cell leukemia: A case series from South India with emphasis on rarer variants.
abstract: Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a rare and aggressive variant of plasma cell dyscrasia. They occur de novo (primary) or as a late manifestation of multiple myeloma (secondary). Patients present with anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal failure, organomegaly and extramedullary manifestations. We are presenting this series as it is the second largest series from India (16) with 4 young cases (under 40 years of age), more number of female patients and two having 'hairy cell' morphology. It is recommended that techniques like immunophenotyping and protein electrophoresis be performed, whenever the morphology is not characteristic of plasma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rajeswari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: T Roshni
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Megha S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Uppin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Shantveer G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Uppin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: D Raghunadha
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: D Sree Bhushan
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Raju D
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sadashindu
keywords: Immunophenotyping; primary plasma cell leukemia; secondary plasma cell leukemia