[Subglottic plasmacytoma: diagnosis and prognosis]

A subglottic primary extramedullary plasmacytoma (typ IgA-Lambda) of the larynx is reported. These tumours are very rare. The diagnosis is made more difficult by unspecific symptoms and can only be confirmed by histopathology. Early diagnosis and differentiation between primary extramedullary plasmacytoma and metastasis from a multiple myeloma are very important for the prognosis of the disease. Whether immunology can help to solve this problem is still doubtful: few cases have so far been examined by this method. Paraproteins are often not secreted in extramedullary plasmacytoma; the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase method is therefore helpful for classification of the tumour.