[Neurologic manifestations of spinal plasmacytomas]

Twenty nine cases of plasmocytic spinal cord tumors which were responsible for neurological troubles were collected over the 19 year period between 1962 and 1981. In 25 of the cases, spinal cord compression was the first sign of the tumor. In 4 of the cases, spinal cord compression was a secondary complication of an already known tumor. The various problems associated with this pathological process are discussed. The neurological problem is fairly straight forward: whether the compression is the first sign of the tumor, and whether it is a secondary complication, it must be surgically removed. Subsequent radiotherapy and chemotherapy are advisable. The oncogenous problem is more delicate. If the plasmocyte is a solitary tumor, and surgical removed is complete, the patient is, in theory, "heated", but should be regularly seen an outpatient basis. On the other hand, a multiple myeloma may first show it self as a spinal cord tumor, where as the patient is in reality suffering from a generalized disease.