Relationship of Bone Marrow Plasma Cell Morphology with Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Introduction: Cytogenetics has become an integral part of Multiple Myeloma (MM) diagnosis and prognostication. A combination of conventional cytogenetics and interphase Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) is currently used to stratify tumours into high, intermediate and standard risk disease. Aim: To compare the morphological details of plasma cells with cytogenetic abnormalities. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective cross sectional study was conducted at Department of Pathology Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana in three and a half year duration (1st January 2014 to 30th June 2017). All the diagnosed MM patients in whom cytogenetic was available were included and descriptive analysis was done using Chi-Square test and relevant statistical analysis using SPSS 21 version. Correlation was done with various morphological pattern (plasmacytic, plasma blastic). Results: Cytogenetic studies were performed on 42 cases using FISH technique (n=31, 81.6%) and GTG (Giemsa) banding (n=4, 10.5%). Three (7.9%) patients were tested with both methods. In the present study, all the patients (n=2,100%) with plasmablastic morphology who got tested with cytogenetics had del13q14.3 and none of the patients with normal genome (n=22) had plasmablastic morphology. Conclusion: Morphologic patterns of plasma cells and cytogenetic studies correlate well and can together help in better prognostication of MM patients.