A male patient, born on January 2, 1916, was referred to the Nagoya University Hospital in June, 1966, because of a painful tumor on the sternum. He was diagnosed as having plasmacytoma by sternal biopsy which revealed plasma cell proliferation. Later, he developed multiple bone lesions at sacrum, scapula, ribs and skull.
Serum analysis demonstrated M-component of IgG class and κ-type with some residual normal immunoglobulin. No Bence Jones protein in urine was found throughout his whole course. Repeated bone marrow aspirations performed at various sites with some intervals showed no plasma cell proliferation indicating that tumor cells did not infiltrate diffusely and that multiple bone lesions remained localized.
The patient responded to the high dose of melphalan in a total of 2,800 mg (10 mg daily for 10 to 14 days as one course) and survived for 65 months from the diagnosis.
Varied patterns of tumor cell infiltration were demonstrated at autopsy, for example, infiltration of plasma cells into surrounding tissues at one site and fibrotic change of bone lesions at the other sites.
Factors influencing good response to melphalan were discussed.
抄録全体を表示