Maximizing the Clinical Benefit of Radiotherapy in Solitary Plasmacytoma: An International Multicenter Analysis

Spinal Solitary Plasmacytoma With Minimal Marrow Involvement Presenting With Epidural Spinal Cord Compression

Solitary plasmacytoma (SPC) is a rare type of plasma cell dyscrasia characterized by the proliferation of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells. It can involve bone or soft tissue without signs of systemic disease. The solitary bone plasmacytoma typically involves the axial skeleton, most commonly the vertebrae. This article presents a 58-year-old male with a history of Parkinson's disease, hypertension, and cervical spine degenerative joint disease. He arrived at the emergency department with severe thoracic and lumbar back pain, accompanied by numbness and weakness in both legs, which worsened with movement and deep breathing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings revealed a sizable mass in the T11 vertebra, leading to thoracic spinal cord compression. Treatment included high-dose dexamethasone, and surgical intervention was undertaken. Subsequent pathology confirmed plasma cell dyscrasia. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy (lenalidomide and dexamethasone) were administered, resulting in no recurrence or new masses after two years. Solitary plasmacytoma is a rare disease with limited clinical trials due to the inability to accrue larger cohorts. Prompt diagnosis and staging of plasmacytomas, involving robust histopathological and radiographic methods, are needed to prevent further complications and possible progression to multiple myeloma. Radiation therapy is the primary treatment, with some studies showing the benefits of lenalidomide and dexamethasone. Further studies are needed to improve treatment options for these patients. This case report adds to the current literature the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of SPC.

Radiotherapy in Combination with Systemic Therapy for Multiple Myeloma-A Critical Toxicity Evaluation in the Modern Treatment Era

Radiotherapy (RT) is an established treatment modality in the management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM), aiming at analgesia and stabilization of osteolytic lesions. As a multifocal disease, the combined use of RT, systemic chemotherapy, and targeted therapy (ST) is pivotal to achieve better disease control. However, adding RT to ST may lead to increased toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability of ST given concurrently with RT. Overall, 82 patients treated at our hematological center with a median follow-up of 60 months from initial diagnosis and 46.5 months from the start of RT were evaluated retrospectively. Toxicities were recorded from 30 days before RT up to 90 days after RT. 54 patients (65.9%) developed at least one non-hematological toxicity, with 50 patients (61.0%) showing low-grade (grade I or II) and 14 patients (17.1%) revealing high-grade (grade III and IV) toxicities. Hematological toxicities were documented in 50 patients (61.0%) before RT, 60 patients (73.2%) during RT, and 67 patients (81.7%) following RT. After RT, patients who had received ST during RT showed a significant increase in high-grade hematological toxicities (p = 0.018). In summary, RT can be safely implemented into modern treatment regimens for MM, but stringent monitoring of potential toxicities even after completion of RT has to be ensured.

Management of Pathological Thoracolumbar Vertebral Fractures in Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Multidisciplinary Recommendations

STUDY DESIGN

Mutlidisciplinary consensus recommendations for patients suffering from multiple myeloma (MM) involvement of the spinal column by the Spine Section of the German Association of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeons.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a comprehensive multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic approach and to summarize the current literature on the management of pathological thoracolumbar vertebral fractures in patients with multiple myeloma.

METHODS

Multidisciplinary recommendations using a classical consensus process provided by radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, orthopaedic- and trauma surgeons. A narrative literature review of the current diagnostic and treatment strategies was conducted.

RESULTS

Treatment decision has to be driven by a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, radiotherapists and spine surgeons. When considering surgery in MM patients, differing factors compared to other secondary spinal lesions have to be included into the decision process: probable neurological deterioration, the stage of the disease and prognosis, patient's general condition, localization and number of the lesions as well as patient's own wishes or expectations. Aiming to improve quality of life, the major goal of surgical treatment is to preserve mobility by reducing pain, secure neurological function and stability.

CONCLUSION

The goal of surgery is primarily to improve quality of life by restoring stability and neurological function. Interventions with an increased risk of complications due to MM-associated immunodeficiency must be avoided whenever feasible to allow early systemic treatment. Hence, treatment decisions should be based on a multidisciplinary team that considers patient's constitution and prognosis.

A new prediction model for overall survival of elderly patients with solitary bone plasmacytoma: A population-based study

Background

Comprehensive studies on the prognosis of solitary bone plasmacytoma (SPB) are lacking, especially in elderly patients with SPB. This study aims to establish a novel nomogram and risk stratification system to predict the overall survival (OS) of elderly patients with SPB.

Methods

The data of elderly patients with SPB from 2000 to 2017 were identified in the SEER database. SPB patients were randomly assigned to the training set (n = 825) and validation set (n = 354). The Cox regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for OS in elderly SPB patients. The nomogram was established and assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC), the consistency index (C-index), and the calibration plot. Patients were divided into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups based on the score of the nomogram. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve was used to verify the differences in overall survival among the three groups.

Result

A total of 1,179 elderly patients with SPB were included in the study. Age at diagnosis, prior cancer before SPB, marital status, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were independent risk factors of OS. The AUC of the 3, 5, and 8-year OS in the training and validation sets were between 0.707 and 0.860. The C-index and calibration plot also indicated that the nomogram has great predictive accuracy and robustness. After risk stratification, patients in the high-risk group had the worst OS.

Conclusion

A novel nomogram was built to predict the OS of elderly patients with SPB. It will help clinicians formulate more reasonable and personalized treatment strategies.

Complete Resolution of Skull Base Solitary Plasmacytoma Using Proton-Beam Radiotherapy: A Case Report

Cranial solitary plasmacytomas are uncommon lesions, and localization to the skull base is rare. Here we present a case in a 36-year-old woman who complained of dizziness and mild headaches. Radiographic imaging indicated the presence of a solitary skull base lesion in the posterior cranial fossa. Laboratory tests and imaging excluded systemic disease. A biopsy of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. The patient was treated with proton-beam radiation and had a complete clinical and radiographic resolution, demonstrating the previously unreported utility of monotherapy with proton-beam radiation in such cases.

An Unusual Case of Multiple Myeloma with Light-Chain Cast Nephropathy Secondary to a Very Large Plasmacytoma without Bone Marrow Involvement

Here, we report a case of a patient who presented to Strong Memorial Hospital with new-onset renal failure and anemia and was found to have multiple myeloma with lambda light-chain cast nephropathy secondary to a very large (14 cm × 14 cm × 12 cm) plasmacytoma without bone marrow involvement. This case is notable as solitary plasmacytomas are almost never seen with concomitant myeloma-defining CRAB criteria or significantly elevated serum free light-chain ratios. Although solitary plasmacytomas are typically definitively treated with radiation, this case highlights that systemic treatment may be helpful in certain clinical scenarios.

Esophageal Plasmacytoma Revealed by Persistent Hiccups: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction. Solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (SEP) is a rare neoplasm that is derived from monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells in the soft tissues or organs arising outside the bone marrow. It is present in about 3% of all plasma cell tumors and originates mainly from the upper respiratory tract and nasopharynx. Involvement of the esophagus is exceptionally seen in cases of SEP. Case Presentation. We report a novel case of a 74-year-old male patient attended with a 6-month history of hiccupping further associated with dysphasia and weight loss all caused by esophageal plasmacytoma. Histological and immunohistochemical examination of the tumor confirmed the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. Workup for the multiple myeloma came out to be negative, thus confirming the diagnosis of SEP. The patient was treated with radiotherapy alone, leading to complete remission (at 30 months of follow-up). Conclusion. Esophageal plasmacytoma, an exceptional presentation of extramedullary plasmacytoma, should be kept in mind while dealing with patients presenting with intractable hiccups.

The paradoxical pharmacological mechanisms of lenalidomide and bortezomib in the treatment of multiple myeloma

The combination of bortezomib (Velcade, PS-341) and lenalidomide (Revlimid) for the treatment of multiple myeloma was proved by USA Food and Drug Administration in 2006. Lenalidomide prevents the proliferation of multiple myeloma cells through binding to cereblon and promoting the ubiquitinational degradation of IKZF1 (Ikaros)/IKZF3 (Aiolos). However, the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib would inhibit the ubiquitinational degradation of IKZF1/IKZF3. How bortezomib could not block the antiproliferative effect of lenalidomide on multiple myeloma cells, which is the paradoxical pharmacological mechanisms in multiple myeloma. In this review, we summarized recent advances in molecular mechanisms underlying the combination of bortezomib and lenalidomide for the treatment multiple myeloma, discussed the paradoxical pharmacological mechanisms of lenalidomide and bortezomib in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Surgery results in low relapse and progression rates in extramedullary plasmacytoma of the head and neck: A case cohort and review of the literature

Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the head and neck is a rare indolent neoplasm. Radiotherapy is often the preferred treatment option with excellent local control and survival. The risk of local recurrence or transformation to multiple myeloma is 10-30%. In our case-cohort, thorough, sensitive initial evaluation for disseminated clonal disease and the incorporation of surgery led to excellent results with no recurrences or systemic progression.

Extramedullary Plasmacytoma: Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in a Single-Center in China and Literature Review

The aim is to analyze the clinical outcomes of patients with extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) and review the characteristics of this disease. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of a cohort of 22 patients diagnosed with EMP between 1983 and 2017. Baseline characteristics and progression data were collected to calculate the incidence of progression to multiple myeloma (MM) and to analyze survival rates and outcomes. Previous major cohort studies were reviewed and compared with this study. Extramedullary plasmacytomas were located in the head and neck in 17 (77%) of the 22 patients. The median time between onset and diagnosis was 7 months, and the median age at diagnosis was 52.5 years (range 15-72 years). Extramedullary plasmacytoma occurred more frequently in men with an approximate ratio of 2.1:1. The majority of patients underwent surgery (13/22, 59.1%) and half received radiation (11/22, 50%). A small proportion of patients received chemotherapy (2/22, 9.1%). There was a median follow-up time of 98.5 months. The 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, and MM-free survival rates were 84.2%, 67.3% and 75.9%, respectively. Complete resection without major functional damage is a promising option that can favorably improve prognosis in patients with resectable disease. Patients with regional lymph node metastasis or positive immunoelectrophoresis results require more aggressive treatment and may have poorer prognosis.

Spatial Distribution of Focal Lesions in Whole-Body MRI and Influence of MRI Protocol on Staging in Patients with Smoldering Multiple Myeloma According to the New SLiM-CRAB-Criteria

Simple Summary

According to the current SLiM-CRAB-criteria, asymptomatic multiple myeloma patients who show >1 focal lesion in MRI are now upstaged to multiple myeloma with treatment indication. While the anatomic coverage of MRI protocols differs from spine over spine plus pelvis to whole-body between different institutions, the cutoff for the number of focal lesions which is currently used for the staging decision is not adapted according to the protocol. We found that usage of different MRI protocols leads to markedly different staging decisions according to current SLiM-CRAB-criteria. Adapting the cutoff for the number of focal lesions according to the MRI protocol enables to select comparable risk groups when using different MRI protocols. The combination of >3FL in spine and pelvis or >4FLs in the whole body came closest to select patients with an 80% probability to develop CRAB-criteria within 2 years, which was the original goal of the IMWG.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess how different MRI protocols (spinal vs. spinal plus pelvic vs. whole-body (wb)-MRI) affect staging in patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), according to the SLiM-CRAB-criterion ‘>1 focal lesion (FL) in MRI’. In this retrospective study, a baseline cohort of 147 SMM patients with wb-MRI at initial diagnosis was investigated, including prognostic data regarding development of CRAB-criteria. Fifty-two patients formed a follow-up cohort with a median of three wb-MRIs. The locations of all FLs were determined and it was calculated how staging decisions regarding the criterion ‘>1 FL in MRI’ would have been made if only a limited anatomic area (spine vs. spine plus pelvis) would have been covered by the MRI protocol. Furthermore, subgroups of patients selected by different cutoff-protocol-combinations were compared regarding their prognosis for development of CRAB-criteria. With an MRI protocol limited to spine/spine plus pelvis, only 28%/64% of patients who actually had >1 FL in wb-MRI would have been rated correctly as having ‘>1 FL in MRI’. Fifty-four percent/36% of patients with exactly 1 FL in spine/spine plus pelvis revealed >1 FL when the entire wb-MRI was analyzed. During follow-up, four more patients developed >1 FL in wb-MRI; both limited MRI protocols would have detected only one of these four patients as having >1 FL at the correct timepoint. Having >1 FL in spine/in spine plus pelvis/in the whole body was associated with a 43%/57%/49% probability of developing CRAB-criteria within 2 years. Patients with >3 FL in spine plus pelvis and patients with >4 FL in the whole body had an 80% probability to develop CRAB-criteria within 2 years. MRI protocols limited to the spine or to spine plus pelvis lead to substantial underdiagnoses of patients who actually have >1 FL in wb-MRI at baseline and during follow-up, which influences staging and treatment decisions according to the current SLiM-CRAB criteria. However, given the spatial distribution of FLs and the analysis on clinical course of patients indicates that the cutoff for the number of FLs should be adopted according to the MRI protocol when using MRI for staging in SMM.