multiple myeloma

• most common primary malignant neoplasm of bone
• 50-70y; M:F 2:1

• symptoms: vague bone pain of progressive severity, fever, anemic sxs
• complications: pathologic fractures

• solitary plasmacytoma: solitary osseous focus of MM (uncommon)

• loss of bone density - from diffuse marrow involvement
• "punched out" lesions - esp. skull, long bones
• diffuse bone destruction - esp. pelvis, sacrum
• invasion of soft tissues - often paraspinal, extrapleural mass
• osteosclerosis - very rare
• metastatic calcifications - particularly kidneys, occ. lungs

© 2002, C.E. Kahn, Jr.
2002-04-18