Occurrence of multiple myeloma three years after successful renal transplantation

A living-related renal transplant recipient developed premature progressive allograft dysfunction 3 years after transplantation. Histopathologic examination of a transplant biopsy specimen demonstrated kappa light chain nephropathy, whereupon the diagnosis of multiple myeloma was subsequently confirmed. A variety of tumors have been reported to develop in the successful renal allograft recipient, although multiple myeloma is decidedly uncommon. This may be due to the relatively young age of transplant recipients. Histopathologic examination of renal tissue in the evaluation of premature or unexpected renal failure in the transplant recipient is underscored.