[lwem]

Can "dysplastic" be used to describe myeloma cells?

by lwem on Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:25 am

HI all,

My husband is scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy at the end of the week, and I know that it will take a few more weeks after that for the results and our meeting with the doctor, but I have some questions that I thought I would put out to this informed group.

He is having a bone marrow biopsy because even though his myeloma is responding to his current treatment (Darzalex, Revlimid, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone), his M-spike is 0.61 g/dl, he is severely anemic and has been transfusion dependent for the last 4 months.

In his first bone marrow biopsy in 2015, it was noted that "70% of the cellularity ... is comprised of a population of plasma cells including dysplastic, nucleolated and multi-nucleate forms occurring singly and in clusters."

In his second bone marrow biopsy in 2017, there was no note of "dysplastic" cells, but there is a note that his history is "myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome."

In 2015, I assumed that the term "dysplastic" was just describing the appearance of the myeloma cells. There was no dysplasia in the 2017 bone marrow biopsy report. The doctors have never mentioned dysplasia.

In view of his current anemia and the scheduled bone marrow biopsy, I am wondering whether I missed something. In short, does the 2015 reference to dysplastic cells mean he had some level of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)? Or is it referring to the myeloma plasma cells?

Thank you all.