Ruşen Coşar Alas

Extramedullar plasmacytoma: clinicopathology, immunohistochemistry and therapeutic approach to a case with a tonsillar site

Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther 1(4) October 2008 hemoncstem.edmgr.com 241 Monoclonal extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare plasma cell tumor. The dia agnosis is based on a mass of clonal plasma cells separate from bone or bone marrow without evia dence of occult disease elsewhere. It occurs in the upper aerodigestive tract in more than 80% of patients, most often in the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, oropharynx and larynx.1,2 Regional nodes are invaded in less than 10% of patients.1 The disease is more coma mon in males with a peak incidence in the sixth decade. Primary EMP often presents with a mass and produces local compressive symptoms. The differential diagnosis includes benign reactive processes, carcinoma and lyma phoma. Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective modality of treatment for EMP with high local control rates (85% to 100%).1,3a6 Currently moderate dose RT (40a50 Gy) using involved fields is recommended.