Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Successive pancytopenia as indication for myeloma treatment – a rare case of visceral leishmaniasis

  • Case report
  • Published:
memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Symptoms and successive pancytopenia in patients with known smouldering multiple myeloma lead unavoidably to the diagnosis of a therapy requiring symptomatic myeloma. Nevertheless, additional diseases can appear in a pre-existing smouldering myeloma and slowly change the physical course of the disease imitating myeloma-related symptoms and organ dysfunction. An unneeded, faulty systemic therapy for multiple myeloma in these cases can have a fatal outcome. This is the first report of a patient with a known smouldering multiple myeloma developing progressive symptoms and pancytopenia due to visceral leishmaniasis. After therapy with a liposomal preparation of amphotericin B all symptoms and the pancytopenia disappeared. An additional disease should be always carefully excluded before initiating a systemic therapy for smouldering myeloma developing indications for systemic therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bray F, Sankila R, Ferlay J, et al. Estimates of cancer incidence and mortality in Europe in 1995. Eur J Cancer, 38: 99–166, 2002

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palumbo A, Sezer O, Kyle R, et al. International Myeloma Working Group guidelines for the management of multiple myeloma patients ineligible for standard high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation. Leukemia, 23: 1716–1730, 2009

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dujardin JC, Campino L, Cañavate C, et al. Spread of vector-borne diseases and neglect of leishmaniasis, Europe. Emerg Infect Dis, 7: 1013–1018, 2008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pampiglione S, Manson-Bahr PE, Giumgi G, et al. Studies on mediterranean leishmaniasis 2. Asymptomatic cases of visceral leishmaniasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 68: 447–453, 1974

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pineda JA, Gallardo JA, Macías J, et al. Prevalence of and factors associated with visceral leishmaniasis in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients in southern Spain. J Clin Microbiol, 36: 2419–2422, 1998

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Zakynthos, Zakynthos, Greece

    G. Papakonstantinou & D. Koutsis

  2. Department of Medicine, Hematology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece

    A. Spyridonidis

Authors
  1. G. Papakonstantinou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Koutsis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Spyridonidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Papakonstantinou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Papakonstantinou, G., Koutsis, D. & Spyridonidis, A. Successive pancytopenia as indication for myeloma treatment – a rare case of visceral leishmaniasis. memo 3, 191–193 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-010-0229-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-010-0229-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation