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[Myelopathy manifesting as macroglobulinemia]
Annales De Medecine Interne
|January 1, 1985
Summary
Waldenström macroglobulinemia can cause rare spinal cord lesions. Treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy rapidly improved neurological symptoms in a patient with this condition.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Hematology
- Oncology
Background:
- Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by monoclonal IgM production.
- Spinal cord involvement in WM is uncommon, presenting diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Observation:
- A 32-year-old male presented with slowly progressive cervical cord symptoms over two years.
- Diagnosis of WM was confirmed by circulating monoclonal IgM and bone marrow lymphocyte infiltration.
- CT scan revealed perimedullary infiltration of the cervico-dorsal cord; no other tumor sites were identified.
- Intrathecal secretion of IgM in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was detected.
Findings:
- The patient received cervico-dorsal cord radiotherapy followed by systemic chemotherapy.
- Rapid improvement in neurological signs was observed post-treatment.
Implications:
- This case highlights the rare presentation of spinal cord lesions in Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
- The findings contribute to understanding the relationship between WM and neurolymphomatosis.
- Early diagnosis and multimodal treatment can lead to significant neurological recovery in affected individuals.