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Multiple myeloma accounts for 10% of the hematologic malignancies and is characterized by a single clone of plasma cells producing a monoclonal protein. The aim of this review is to summarize the current treatment methods of multiple myeloma. In the last 15 years, the incidence of myeloma has increased in patients younger than 65 years, thus treatment became even more important in order to obtain a long lasting remission or plateau phase. The treatment of this disease is complex and focuses not only on increasing the patients' survival, but also improving their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is one of the most aggressive monoclonal gammopathies, being characterized by the presence of more than 20% of plasma cells in the peripheral blood and an absolute number of these cells of more than 2×109, with different morphology, from young elements to mature cells. The incidence of PCL varies between 2–4% among multiple myeloma (MM) patients. In comparison with MM, PCL appears more often in younger patients. The following article describes the case of a 49-year-old female patient diagnosed with PCL which needed urgent control of the clinical manifestations due to its irreversible complications. Urgent autologous stem cell transplantation is recommended in this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]