Search

This study aimed to review the clinical features and outcome of 53 patients with solitary plasmacytoma managed at our Institution between 1976 and 2012. Thirty-five patients had bone solitary plasmacytoma and 18 extramedullary solitary plasmacytoma. Tumour sizes were larger in patients with bone involvement (P = 0·003). Treatment consisted of local radiotherapy (n = 26), radiotherapy + chemotherapy (n = 15), surgery (n = 4) and chemotherapy (n = 8); the local control rate was 94·3%. Progression to multiple myeloma was recorded in 20/35 (57·1%) patients with bone involvement and in 1/18 (5·5%) patients with extramedullary disease (P = 0·0003). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 78·4%; bone solitary plasmacytoma patients had a significantly worse OS (71·9% vs. 88·2%, respectively; P = 0·029) and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS; 53·0% vs. 88·5%; P = 0·0003) compared to extramedullary solitary plasmacytoma patients. On univariate analysis, bone disease and size (≥5 cm) impacted negatively on PFS (P = 0·0027 and P = 0·04, respectively). Bone disease also affected OS (P = 0·04). In multivariate analysis bone location was the only independent prognostic factor for PFS (P = 0·0041) and OS (P = 0·021). Patients with bone solitary plasmacytoma have a significantly worse prognosis than extramedullary solitary plasmacytoma cases., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm ( BPDCN) is a rare haematological malignancy derived from the precursors of plamacytoid dendritic cells, with an aggressive clinical course and high frequency of cutaneous and bone marrow involvement. Neoplastic cells express CD4, CD43 (also termed SPN), CD45 RA and CD56 (also termed NCAM1), as well as the plasmacytoid dendritic cell-associated antigens CD123 (also termed IL3 RA), BDCA-2 (also termed CD303, CLEC4E) TCL1 and CTLA1 (also termed GZMB). The median survival is only a few months as the tumour exhibits a progressive course despite initial response to chemotherapy. The best modality of treatment remains to be defined. Generally, patients receive acute leukaemia-like induction, according to acute myeloid leukaemia ( AML)-type or acute lymphoid leukaemia ( ALL)-type regimens. The frequent neuromeningeal involvement indicates systematic pre-emptive intrathecal chemotherapy in addition to intensive chemotherapy. Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( HSCT), particularly when performed in first remission, may improve the survival. Preliminary data suggest a potential role for immunomodulatory agents and novel targeted drugs. Herein epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and management of BPDCN will be presented. In detail, this review focuses on the therapeutic aspects of BPDCN, proposing a treatment algorithm for the management of the disease, including induction chemotherapy, allogeneic HSCT and intrathecal prophylaxis at different steps of treatment, according to compliance, biological and clinical characteristics of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]