Plasma cell myeloma in unusually young patients: a report of two cases and review of the literature.

Abstract

Two cases of plasma cell myeloma in unusually young patients are reported. One was a case of multiple myeloma involving the skull and ribs in a 23-year-old woman, the other of solitary myeloma of the tibia in a 21-year-old man. Both the cases were non-secretory myeloma; however, monoclonal immunoglobulins were demonstrated by immunohistochemical studies. Plasma cell myeloma in patients below the age of 30 years is extremely rare. Our literature search disclosed 20 well-documented cases of multiple myeloma and 25 cases of solitary myeloma in patients at or below the age of 30. Plasma cell myeloma may occur in young persons, so it should be considered in the pre-biopsy differential diagnosis when bone lesions radiologically consistent with myeloma are encountered in young patients.