Onkologie. 2017:11(6):300-305 | DOI: 10.36290/xon.2017.055

Multiple myeloma and differential diagnostic of back pain

Lenka Szeligová, Hana Plonková, Tomáš Jelínek, Roman Hájek

Klinika hematoonkologie, FN Ostrava

Multiple myeloma is a malignant hematological disease, falling under the group of monoclonal gamapathies, which are characterizedby the presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin in blood serum and/or in urine. For the diagnosis itself an increasednumber of clonal plasmocytes in bone marrow is needed. Another diagnostic marker is organ damage, also known under theacronym CRAB – hypercalcemia (calcium), renal insufficiency, anemia and bone damage. Myeloma tend to be accompanied byskeletal damage, the so-called myeloma bone disease is prevalent in as many as 80 % of cases. The presence of osteolytic lesions,or even pathological fractures is a typical phenomenon. Damage to the skeleton may be very severe and early diagnosis may helpin preventing serious life quality decrease for patients, who otherwise have a well treatable disease with a long-term prognosis.Therefore, when treating patients with back pain which does not disappear in under one month, or which has a worsening tendencyin spite of usual analgetic treatment, in patients with no trauma history or in the presence of other warning signs showinga possible malignant disease (increased fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, high-intensity pain), a fast diagnosis is needed. It isnecessary, as soon as possible, to examine the patient by means of a more precise imaging technique than a standard x-ray (a CT,or an MRI scan) and to perform further laboratory tests to find the source of patient‘s difficulties.

Keywords: multiple myeloma, skeletal damage, osteolytic lesions

Published: December 1, 2017  Show citation