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Hakan Mellstedt
Karolinska University Hospital
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Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and benign monoclonal gammopathy. Characteristics of the B cell clone, immunoregulatory cell populations and clinical implications.
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All content following this page was uploaded by Hakan Mellstedt on 16 May 2014.
peritoneal and pleural effusions lymphomas, whereas infectious etiologies include tuberculosis
Ascites is defined as the abnormal accumulation of fluid within and toxoplasmosis and the immune disorder sarcoidosis.
the peritoneal cavity. The pathogenesis of malignant ascites Axillary adenopathy should include an evaluation for
has relatively little to do with sodium and water excess but associated injury or infection of the upper extremities. If
rather is a consequence of a direct tumor cell invasion of carcinoma is found in the lymph nodes both breasts need to be
subdiaphragmatic lymphatic vessels and consequent evaluated for breast cancer. Malignant lymphomas are also
perversion of normal peritoneal lymphatic drainage. a common cause.
Hematological malignancies are not frequently associated with Inguinal lymphadenopathy may be due to sexually
ascites but ascites can be noted in lymphomas and transmitted diseases, infections of the lower extremities or
plasmocytomas. lymphomas. An occult lower extremity melanoma, genital tract
Pleural effusion may be seen in multiple myeloma. and anus cancer should also be considered in the differential
Interestingly, myeloma cell lines can easily be established from diagnosis.
pleural effusions while it is difficult from bone marrow Mediastinal and hilar adenopathies may be due to
myeloma cells. nonmalignant diseases as sarcoidosis (especially if it is bilateral).
Chylous pleural effusion may be due to thoracic lymphoma Unilateral hilar adenopathy can occur in tuberculosis and
obstructing or infiltrating lymphatic vessels in the thoracic histoplasmosis as well as in lung and esophageal cancer. It is not
cavity. usual in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Bilateral hilar adenopathy
is most commonly due to Hodgkin’s disease or sarcoidosis.
Lymphomas, lung and esophageal cancer and germ-cell tumors
lymphadenopathy may enlarge mediastinal lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes can enlarge owing to polyclonal expansion/ Abdominal or retroperitoneal adenopathy is usually
Despite optimal treatment of the tumor most neuropathies 15% lymphomas. Other cancers include breast, germ cell,
tend to improve slowly or not at all. As a result, an important carcinoma and thymoma.
aspect of the management of patients with neuropathies is
trying to treat the symptoms. Neuropathies associated with skin manifestations
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance very Amyloidosis frequently involves blood vessels of the skin and
poorly respond to treatment attempts against immunoglobulin- causes increased vascular and skin fragility and bleeding from
producing cell clone. minimal trauma.
Lymphoproliferative disorders producing monoclonal IgG
pathologic fractures and IgM with cryoactivity may produce skin bleeding and
A pathological fracture may represent the first sign of cancer, ischemia or necrotic lesions when exposed to cold
recurrence or disease progression. Pathological fractures environmental temperatures. A careful examination for the
represent a major threat to the patient’s functional status. presence of cryoglobulin with protein electrophoresis and
There are various underlying causes of pathological fractures. immunofixation is necessary.
Patients with osteopenia may develop fractures with minimal Vasculitis may be another skin manifestation associated with
trauma. Hence, entities other than malignancy must be various lymphoproliferative disorders.
considered in the differential diagnosis as osteoporosis, Various T-cell malignancies might be associated with
osteomalacia, hyperparathyroidism, osteomyelitis, Paget’s nodular or diffuse infiltration of the skin by the malignant cells.
disease, etc. Of all pathological fractures 15%–20% represent Sézary’s syndrome is often accompanied with intense redness
benign disorders, 70% metastatic carcinomas and 10% of the skin including pruritus. Skin infiltration of B-cell
myeloma/lymphoma. lymphomas is rare.
The immediate management of pathological fractures is
above the normal range (1 to 4–5 · 109/l.). The term relative increased risk of spontaneous bleeding but may have an
lymphocytosis should be abandoned. Relative lymphocytosis increased risk of surgical bleeding. Both these two groups,
does in fact reflect neutropenia. When increased numbers however, might have an increased risk of bleeding in
of atypical lymphocytes accompany neutropenia, the connections with infections and when taking aspirin. Platelet
differential diagnosis should include viral infections. counts <10 · 109/l are related with an increased risk of
Lymphocytosis is defined as >4–5 · 109/l lymphocytes. In spontaneous bleeding and significant bleeding at surgery.
adolescents, infectious mononucleosis is the most common Diagnostic procedures of thrombocytopenia depend on
cause. A cell smear shows remarkable pleiomorphic lymphocyte symptoms and platelet count. Symptomatic patients with
morphology with monocytoid features. Concerns about an moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (<50 · 109/l) and
underlying lymphoid malignancy can be strengthened further concomitant anemia and/or leukocytopenia require a complete
by complications as thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia, evaluation. The extent of the evaluation of mild
but mononucleosis might also present with such signs. thrombocytopenia (50–130 · 109/l) in asymptomatic patients
Generally, review of the peripheral blood smear and the remains one of the physician’s decisions.
confirmatory serologic test for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) Patients with a long standing and mild thrombocytopenia
antibodies will lead to the correct diagnosis. If EBV titers are (100–130 · 109/l) require no specific evaluation except for
negative, tests for antibodies to CMV and toxoplasmosis should medications, assessment of spleen size, peripheral blood
be included. evaluation, autoimmune testing and ESR. If all normal, it
In adults, lymphocytosis should raise concerns about clonal might be recommended to follow such patients for 2 years
lymphoproliferative disorders. The presence of splenomegaly every sixth months. If the condition is stable then no further
and peripheral lymphadenopathy will reinforce that concern. follow-up is necessary.
Immunophenotyping by flowcytometry is the simplest initial Asymptomatic patients with 50–100 · 109/l of platelets