Obstructive jaundice caused by pancreatic plasmacytoma secondary to multiple myeloma: A case report and literature review

Abstract

To the Editor, Multiple myeloma is the second most common malignant tumor of the hematologic system. The main pathological manifestation of multiple myeloma is the massive proliferation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. 1 Approximately 5% of patients with multiple myeloma develop extramedullary plasmacytoma during the course of the disease, among which extramedullary plasmacytoma of the pancreas is rare. 2 Pancreatic plasmacytoma typically presents as a substantial mass of the pancreas that is difficult to be differentiated from other tumors, such as carcinomas, islet cell tumors, lymphomas and metastatic tumors. 3 Moreover, knowledge on the treatment of these patients has been limited so far. Here we described a case with multiple myeloma who presented with jaundice as the main manifestation and was diagnosed as having pancreatic plasmacytoma. We also reviewed the published literatures and summarized the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, treatment strategies and patient prognosis of multiple myeloma with involvement of the pancreas. A 49-year-old man was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (immunoglobulin G [IgG] λ type) at our hospital in 2012. He received eight cycles of systemic chemotherapy using melphalan, prednisone, vincris