PLASMACYTOMA OF MANDIBLE: A CASE REPORT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Extramedullary Plasmacytomas (EMP) are rare tumors accounting for 0.4% of all head and neck malignancies. The patients ranged from 34 to 76 years, there was a marked preponderance of males. Chronic, non-painful swelling of the posterior portion of mandible with is the commonest symptom. Monoclonal immunoglobulin was initially detected in 42% of the evaluated patients. The majority of patients were treated with radiation therapy. 17% of the patients progressed to multiple myeloma within 1 year. A 60 yr old male, chronic tobacco sniffer presented with swelling posterior end mandible. Radiography revealed a multilocular radiolucent lesion in the mandibular posterior region. Bone marrow aspiration revealed a plasma cell infiltrate of less than 3% of all nucleated cells. Microscopically the tumour shows mature, immature, typical, atypical, binucleate plasma cells in sheets. A histological diagnosis of plasmacytoma was made. CONCLUSION: We report a case of extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) of the mandible in a 60 year old male, who was a chronic tobacco sniffer. The case demonstrates the multidisciplinary approach required for the optimal diagnosis and management of such tumors and proposes chronic irritation as one of the etiological factors for EMP.