Plasmacytosis, the presence of plasma cells in unexpected tissue, may indicate illness or malignancy. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, which may include cancer, infections, or other conditions. Doctors may need to conduct further tests to determine the cause before recommending treatment.
Plasmacytosis is the presence of large numbers of plasma cells in bone or other tissue where doctors would not normally expect to encounter them. This condition may be the result of an illness or infection, or it could be a sign of a widespread malignancy. If a doctor identifies plasmacytosis in a patient, she might recommend follow-up tests to determine the cause. If needed, your doctor can provide treatment to address the problem.
One reason the condition develops is the presence of plasmacytoma, a cancer of the plasma cells that causes them to grow out of control. In this case, a pathologist can examine a sample of the cells under a microscope to identify malignancy. The cells will look different from normal plasma cells and may behave abnormally in culture. If the patient has this type of cancer, treatments may include chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells and to limit their reproduction in the body, thus preventing them from coming back.
Conditions such as multiple myeloma and cutaneous B-cell lymphoma are also associated with this condition. In these cases, the patient might experience symptoms such as fatigue, anemia, and swelling along with the elevated plasma cell count. The medical evaluation may include imaging studies, analysis of tissue samples under a microscope, and a careful interview of the patient. Treatment might include chemotherapy, radiation, and other measures to keep the cancer under control.
It is also possible to develop plasmacytosis in association with lung infections and some other conditions. In these cases, the patient may already be receiving treatment for the underlying disease. Plasma cell overgrowth may indicate that treatment has not had a chance to take effect or is not working as desired. The physician may consider the patient’s history and treatment to decide how to proceed with further diagnostic and therapeutic options to resolve the primary disease. Treating the cause should resolve the excess plasma cells.
When a doctor identifies plasmacytosis, the patient may ask about the situation. The doctor may be able to offer information and advice based on the data available or may explain that further tests are needed to determine why the patient has plasmacytosis. Doctors are often reluctant to speculate initially, because they don’t want to panic or upset patients without good cause; a discussion of potential cancers, for example, would scare the patient and could be incorrect speculation, so the doctor may prefer to wait for a pathology report.
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