Posters
A Case of Multiple Myeloma
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Suneet Johal
Academic Level (Author 1)
Resident
Discipline/Specialty (Author 1)
Internal Medicine
Discipline Track
Patient Care
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Multiple Myeloma is a type of cancer that results in proliferation of a type of white blood cells called plasma cells. Multiple myeloma accounts for approximately 1 to 2 percent of all cancers with the median age of diagnosis being 65-74. 32,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the US with 13,00 deaths every year.
75 year old female with history of hypertension presents to the emergency department with chief complaint of progressively worsening back pain for two weeks, associated with difficulty ambulating with no relief from pain medications. She reports nausea, vomiting, and polydipsia as well. Labs demonstrated a corrected serum calcium of 11.2 mg/dL, serum creatinine of 2.4 mg/dL, hemoglobin of 10.6 g/dL with CT scan of lumbar spine showing a compression fracture at L3. An SPEP was ordered which demonstrated an M spike of 3.9, suspicious for multiple myeloma. A bone marrow biopsy was obtained which showed >60% plasma cells with whole body low dose CT without contrast demonstrating lucent lesions involving the right temporal bone and right iliac bone. The patient was seen by oncology and started on Dexamethasone and Bortezomib.
Unexplained back pain is the most common clinical presentation of multiple myeloma. A high degree of suspicion is required when a patient presents with back pain associated with hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency or anemia. The overall 5-year survival rate for multiple myeloma is 54% and if diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate is 75%.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Johal, Suneet; Mehta, Radhika; Jagadeesanpillai,, Sreejith; and Zamudio, Rodrigo, "A Case of Multiple Myeloma" (2025). Research Colloquium. 52.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2022/posters/52
A Case of Multiple Myeloma
Multiple Myeloma is a type of cancer that results in proliferation of a type of white blood cells called plasma cells. Multiple myeloma accounts for approximately 1 to 2 percent of all cancers with the median age of diagnosis being 65-74. 32,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the US with 13,00 deaths every year.
75 year old female with history of hypertension presents to the emergency department with chief complaint of progressively worsening back pain for two weeks, associated with difficulty ambulating with no relief from pain medications. She reports nausea, vomiting, and polydipsia as well. Labs demonstrated a corrected serum calcium of 11.2 mg/dL, serum creatinine of 2.4 mg/dL, hemoglobin of 10.6 g/dL with CT scan of lumbar spine showing a compression fracture at L3. An SPEP was ordered which demonstrated an M spike of 3.9, suspicious for multiple myeloma. A bone marrow biopsy was obtained which showed >60% plasma cells with whole body low dose CT without contrast demonstrating lucent lesions involving the right temporal bone and right iliac bone. The patient was seen by oncology and started on Dexamethasone and Bortezomib.
Unexplained back pain is the most common clinical presentation of multiple myeloma. A high degree of suspicion is required when a patient presents with back pain associated with hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency or anemia. The overall 5-year survival rate for multiple myeloma is 54% and if diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate is 75%.
