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Plasmacytosis is a condition in which there is an unusually large proportion of
plasma cell Plasma cells, also called plasma B cells or effector B cells, are white blood cells that originate in the lymphoid organs as B cells and secrete large quantities of proteins called antibodies in response to being presented specific substances ca ...
s in tissues,
exudate An exudate is a fluid released by an organism through pores or a wound, a process known as exuding or exudation. ''Exudate'' is derived from ''exude'' 'to ooze' from Latin language, Latin 'to (ooze out) sweat' (' 'out' and ' 'to sweat'). Medi ...
s, or
blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood is com ...
. Plasmacytosis may be divided into two types—cutaneous and systemic—both of which have identical skin findings. Patients with plasmacytosis have been predominantly found to have lung infections (pneumonia, tuberculosis, abscess) whereas multiple myeloma is rarely found.


Definition and Causes

Plasmacytosis is defined as an unusual increase in plasma cells in the blood or
bone marrow Bone marrow is a semi-solid biological tissue, tissue found within the Spongy bone, spongy (also known as cancellous) portions of bones. In birds and mammals, bone marrow is the primary site of new blood cell production (or haematopoiesis). It i ...
, indicating a range of medical issues. Batool et al. (2022) explains that it can be either reactive or
neoplastic A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
. Reactive plasmacytosis happens due to infections, autoimmune diseases, or inflammation.
Neoplastic A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
plasmacytosis is mostly found in blood cancers like
multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibody, antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone ...
and other similar disorders. The causes of reactive plasmacytosis vary since the plasma cells play a key part in
immune response An immune response is a physiological reaction which occurs within an organism in the context of inflammation for the purpose of defending against exogenous factors. These include a wide variety of different toxins, viruses, intra- and extracellula ...
, while neoplastic causes result from the abnormal growth of plasma cells (de Toro & Fernandez-Pol, 2024). It is essential for doctors to determine if the plasmacytosis is reactive or neoplastic. This is needed because the treatment and management will vary depending on the cause. This difference will also change how the diagnosis is made and the expected outcome.


Symptoms and diagnosis

Clinical and laboratory
diagnosis Diagnosis (: diagnoses) is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in a lot of different academic discipline, disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " ...
of plasmacytosis involves looking at specific symptoms and increased plasma cells. Symptoms include feeling tired, bone pain, and frequent infections, similar to signs in multiple myeloma patients (Pham & Mahindra, 2019). Laboratory tests check for unusual blood counts and abnormal protein levels linked to
plasma cell Plasma cells, also called plasma B cells or effector B cells, are white blood cells that originate in the lymphoid organs as B cells and secrete large quantities of proteins called antibodies in response to being presented specific substances ca ...
growth. Also, a bone marrow biopsy can show plasma cell infiltration while
X-rays An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...
like
MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and rad ...
and
CT scans A computed tomography scan (CT scan), formerly called computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or ...
find bone damage. These are key parts of diagnosing plasmacytosis (Saldarriaga et al., 2023). In some cases, plasmacytosis may present in an unusual manner, complicating the diagnostic process. For instance, extreme
peripheral blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the Cell (biology), cells, and transports Metabolic waste, metabolic waste products away from th ...
plasmacytosis can mimic conditions such as plasma cell
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...
, as seen in a case involving a 62-year-old male with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (Sokol et al., 2019). This patient exhibited symptoms like progressive cervical
adenopathy Lymphadenopathy or adenopathy is a disease of the lymph nodes, in which they are abnormal in size or consistency. Lymphadenopathy of an inflammation, inflammatory type (the most common type) is lymphadenitis, producing swelling (medical), swolle ...
, fevers, and weight loss, which are common in various lymphoproliferative disorders, thus making the diagnosis challenging. With investigation through samples and symptoms, researchers have been able to accurately distinguish reactive and neoplastic plasmacytosis, as well as other disorders that may display themselves similarly. Advancements in the understanding and treatment of plasmacytosis highlight the specific therapeutic approaches that are currently coming out, bringing renewed hope for patient care. Recent studies emphasize the potential benefits of precision medicine, encouraging treatments that are fine-tuned to target specific anomalies within plasma cells rather than applying a broad-spectrum approach. This strategy is particularly pertinent in dealing with soft-tissue plasmacytomas, where innovative methods aim to eradicate the tumor effectively and prevent further disease progression (Rosiñol et al., 2021). New treatments often involve novel drugs and therapeutic regimens that work in conjunction with or as alternatives to traditional
chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...
or
corticosteroid Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are invo ...
interventions, thereby minimizing adverse effects. By integrating these newer therapies into existing frameworks, healthcare providers can enhance patient outcomes, ensuring not just survival but improved quality of life as well.


Treatments

The usual use of corticosteroids in
anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...
treatments and chemotherapy is advancing. Alongside these traditional methods that remain effective, the focus now is on
molecular biology Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...
, addressing problems with harmful plasma cells and the molecules that help them grow, using some distinctive or innovative methods separately. This situation allows for personalized treatment for each patient, rather than using standardized care plans, while still following specific medical and health guidelines. Testing with labs and imaging can help diagnose it, and treatment options can be chosen based on the patient’s situation. Managing plasmacytosis shows how vital both old and new treatments are for improving the patient’s outcome and quality of life.


See also

* Cutaneous B-cell lymphoma *
Multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibody, antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone ...
*
Plasmacytoma Plasmacytoma is a plasma cell dyscrasia in which a plasma cell tumour grows within soft tissue or within the axial skeleton. The International Myeloma Working Group lists three types: Plasma cell dyscrasia#Solitary plasmacytoma, solitary plasma ...
*
Skin lesion A skin condition, also known as cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the body and includes skin, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of this ...


References


External links

Lymphocytic disorders {{Cutaneous-condition-stub}