title: An Unfortunate Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal Gammopathy, and Skin Change (POEMS).
abstract: POEMS syndrome is an acronym for polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes, which is a rare paraneoplastic disease of monoclonal plasma cells. A mandatory criterion to diagnose POEMS syndrome is the presence of a monoclonal plasma cell dyscrasia in which plasma cell leukemia is the most aggressive form. Early identification of the features of the POEMS syndrome is critical for patients to identify an underlying plasma cell dyscrasias and to reduce the morbidity and mortality of the disease by providing early therapy. We present a case of a 64-year-old male who presented with non-specific symptoms and was found to have primary plasma cell leukemia, which was part of his unfortunate POEMS syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Faraz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Afridi
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Medical Oncology, Osceola Regional Medical Center.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Otoya
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Samantha F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Bunting
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chaaya
keywords: plasma cell leukemia; poems syndrome