Three Cases of Plasma Cell Leukemia

Introduction: Plasma cell leukemia (PL) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells in the marrow and blood peripheral. It is defined by a blood plasmacytosis greater than 2 G/l or a plasma cell level greater than 20% of leukocytes. It can be primitive or secondary to multiple myeloma (MM). We reported 3 cases of PL. Observations: Case 1: A 59 years old woman with fever, anemia with 7 g/dl, hyperleukocytosis 9200/mm3, thrombopenia 86 G/l inflammatory biological syndrome with CRP at 129 mg/l, hypercalcemia at 120 mg/l, renal failure with serum creatinine at 35 mg/l, urea at 0.85 g/l and 24-hour proteinuria at 0.98 g/24h. Β2 microglobulin at 10.34 mg/l. The blood smear shows dysmorphic plasma cells at 68% and the bone marrow at 79% of dysmorphic plasma cells. The immunophenotyping of blood cells, the electrophoretic serum protein, shows PL CD38+, secondary of a MM LAMBDA. Case 2: A 65-year-old man with type 2 diabetes presented, right femoral neck, anemia, hyperleukocytosis at 22 G/l, and thrombocytopenia at 99 G/l. There was no hypercalcemia, or kidney failure. The blood smear showed 28% of plasma cells and 9% of blasts. On the myelogram, the marrow was normal richness with significant medullary plasmacytosis (31%) made up of dysmorphic plasma cells. The CT scan showed a settling of the body of D5 with heterogeneous osteocondensation. The patient was transferred to hematology where she was treated with polychemotherapy. The evolution was unfavorable following a death due to malignant hypercalcemia. Case 3: A 62-year-old woman who had a 5-year follow-up of Ig G kappa multiple myeloma was treated with Melphalan, Prednisone, and thalidomide with a therapeutic break for 2 months. She came back to the Internal Medicine department with: severe global dehydration, anemia with externalized bleeding gingivorrhagia, pain in mechanical bones of the ribs, lower limbs, and pelvis, bilateral pneumonia. The biology found hyperleukocytosis at 99 G/l, anemia at 4.7 g/dl, thrombocytopenia at 31 g/l, hypercalcemia at 190 mg/l, renal failure with creatinine at 34 mg/L, and urea at 1.08 g/l, a biological inflammatory syndrome with CRP 294 mg/l. The smeared blood had shown 93% blood plasma cells and immunophenotyping showed CD38+. The patient died before specific treatment for the disease. Conclusion: Plasma cell leukemia is a rare atypical variant, complicating essentially multiple light chain myeloma. She must be suspected especially when there are cytological abnormalities such as major leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia, which are unusual in classical myeloma. Evolution is usually a very bad prognosis, with a median survival of 12 to 14 months for the form primary and 2 to 3 months for the secondary form.

Radiotherapy of Oligoprogressive Lesions in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Impact on Second-Generation Hormone Therapy

Background: The therapeutic standard for oligoprogressive prostate cancer resistant to castration is second-generation hormone therapy. This systemic treatment is expensive. There are oligoprogressive lesions accessible to radiotherapy. Objectives: To study the impact of radiotherapy of oligoprogressive lesions on the implementation of second generation hormone therapy. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study from 2012 to 2020 was carried out. All patients with oligoprogressive prostate cancer who had received radiotherapy on one or more lesions in progression were collated. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 8 patients were treated with stereotactic and conformational radiotherapy between August 2012 and August 2020 in the context of oligoprogressive prostate cancer resistant to castration. The median age at diagnosis of oligoprogression was 73 years with a median PSA level of 3.11 ng/ml. Nine lesions were diagnosed with PET scan PSMA. All the lesions were treated by radiotherapy with different regimens. After a median follow-up of 12.5 months, 7 patients showed a biochemical response to treatment with a median decrease in PSA of 67%. The median survival without clinical or biochemical progression was 7 months. The median survival without the need for further systemic treatment was 9 months. During the follow-up period, six patients received second-generation hormone therapy to treat their relapse, and the other two showed no clinical or biochemical relapse. Conclusion: Radiotherapy may be an alternative to delay the introduction of difficult-to-access second-generation hormone therapy in developing countries. A prospective study could validate this therapeutic approach.

A New Observation of Bone Marrow Involvement by Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Myelofibrosis

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma, characterized by high clinical and biological heterogeneity. Patients typically present with progressive lymphadenopathy, extranodal disease and may also experience fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. We report here the case of a 16-year-old female with osteoarticular pain, dizziness, and dyspnea on exertion. Clinical examination showed no lymphadenopathy. Complete blood count (CBC) revealed pancytopenia and marrow smears found to be hypocellular. Initial diagnosis favored secondary myelofibrosis. Diagnosis of bone marrow involvement by DLBCL was retained on bone marrow histology and immunohistochemistry which showed infiltration of large B lymphoid cells. The patient was treated by immunochemotherapy R-CHOP regimen. This case highlights a very rare and atypical circumstance of discovery of DLBCL with myelofibrosis as an initial symptom. Prognosis value of this presentation and management difficulties are also discussed.