Plasma Cell Morphology in Multiple Myeloma

ABSTRACT

Objective: To identify the different types of plasma cells in multiple myeloma. To evaluate the survival of patients according to plasma cell morphology. Method: Cytological aspects of plasma cell were examined according three criteria the nucleolus; the chromatin and the nuclear-cellular ratio (N/C) of each plasma cell. Each plasma cell was identifid by the letter P followed by 3 digits. This identifiation allowed to classify them as immature plasma cells; intermediate plasma cells and mature plasma cells. The proportions of various plasma cells among patients; were used to determine their group of survival according to the algorithm of morphology of Goasguen. Results: Morphological aspects of plasma cells of 55 cases of multiple myeloma from 2004 to 2010 were analyzed in two laboratories in Kinshasa. The results gave the rate of eight different types of plasma cell; the rate of multiple myeloma of plasmablastic cells; increased levels of aberrant and immature plasma cells. The integration of these aberrant and immature plasma cells in the definitions of survival groups showed that the group of good responders represented 38.2 of patients. The intermediate group had 32.7. While the group of poor responders counted 29.1. Conclusion: We found a great number of aberrant and immature plasma cells. We reached that the majority of our patients were found in the intermediate group and the group of bad responders. This regrouping explains the aggressive character of the multiple myeloma among our patients