Kappa light-chain myeloma with pleural involvement

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy.
• Pleural involvement is a rare complication of multiple myeloma.
• Light-chain myeloma is a subtype characterized by the production of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains.

Observation:

• A patient presented with symptoms suggestive of pleural effusion.
• Diagnostic procedures included pleural biopsy, pleural fluid cytology, and urine immunoelectrophoresis.
• These investigations confirmed the presence of kappa light-chain myeloma.

Findings:

• The case represents the first documented instance of pleural involvement in kappa light-chain myeloma.
• Diagnostic methods were effective in identifying the specific subtype and extent of the disease.
• Literature review confirmed the rarity of this presentation.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering myeloma in patients with unexplained pleural effusions, even in light-chain subtypes.
• Suggests that pleural biopsy and cytology can be valuable diagnostic tools for light-chain myeloma.
• Contributes to a better understanding of the extraskeletal manifestations of multiple myeloma.