Case report

Extramedullary myeloma in an HIV-seropositive subject. Literature review and report of an unusual case

Liviu Feller¹ , Jason White² , Neil H Wood¹ , Michael Bouckaert² , Johan Lemmer¹ and Erich J Raubenheimer³

¹  Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Limpopo, Pretoria, South Africa

²  Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Limpopo, Pretoria, South Africa

³  Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Limpopo, Pretoria, South Africa

author email corresponding author email

Head & Face Medicine 2009, 5:4doi:10.1186/1746-160X-5-4

Published:	20 January 2009

Abstract

Myeloma is characterized by monoclonal bone marrow plasmacytosis, the presence of M-protein in serum and/or in urine and osteolytic bone lesions. HIV-seropositive subjects with myeloma are younger at the time of diagnosis of the tumour and usually the myeloma has a more aggressive clinical course than it does in HIV-seronegative subjects.

A case of an HIV-seropositive woman in whom myeloma was diagnosed following progressive swelling of the face, is reported. In addition to bone marrow plasmacytosis and the presence of M-protein in the serum, the patient had an extramedullary lesion affecting the oral cavity, maxilla, parotid gland and paranasal sinuses, and extending intracranially and intraorbitally.