Diagnosis, treatment, and response assessment in solitary plasmacytoma: updated recommendations from a European Expert Panel.

Solitary plasmacytoma is an infrequent form of plasma cell dyscrasia that presents as a single mass of monoclonal plasma cells, located either extramedullary or intraosseous. In some patients, a bone marrow aspiration can detect a low monoclonal plasma cell infiltration which indicates a high risk of early progression to an overt myeloma disease. Before treatment initiation, whole body positron emission tomography-computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging should be performed to exclude the presence of additional malignant lesions. For decades, treatment has been based on high-dose radiation, but studies exploring the potential benefit of systemic therapies for high-risk patients are urgently needed. In this review, a panel of expert European hematologists updates the recommendations on the diagnosis and management of patients with solitary plasmacytoma.

Cellular immunotherapy in multiple myeloma: lessons from preclinical models.

The majority of multiple myeloma patients relapse with the current treatment strategies, raising the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. Cellular immunotherapy is a rapidly evolving field and currently being translated into clinical trials with encouraging results in several cancer types, including multiple myeloma. Murine multiple myeloma models are of critical importance for the development and refinement of cellular immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the immune cell changes that occur in multiple myeloma patients and we discuss the cell-based immunotherapies that have been tested in multiple myeloma, with a focus on murine models.

[Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance - update for referring physicians]. / Gammapathie monoclonale de signification indéterminée : information destinée aux médecins referents.

Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS) are frequently diagnosed in the global population. Because of its possible transformation into a hematological malignancy, the identification of a MGUS requires a regular and generally long follow-up. However, this risk of transformation differs between the individuals and different laboratory criteria have been identified as predictive factors for progression and were combined in scoring systems that allow correct classification of individuals. The management of these patients needs to be adapted according to the calculated risk profile.