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Isolated orbital relapse of multiple myeloma in a patient with severe chronic GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 49, pages 988–989 (2014)Cite this article

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Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (alloHSCT) is a potential curative treatment in multiple myeloma. However, relapse of multiple myeloma is still a major concern after alloHSCT.1,2 Whilst ocular involvement in chronic GVHD (cGVHD) is a frequent complication after alloHSCT,3 ocular involvement by multiple myeloma is rare.4

Ophthalmic manifestations (ocular, orbital or neuro-ophthalmic) of multiple myeloma are rare and variable. They can be the result of direct tissue infiltration by plasma cells or from increased blood viscosity.4 Orbital involvement as an indicator of extramedullary recurrence of multiple myeloma in patients thought to be in remission is an exceptional case.5 Common symptoms of orbital involvement by multiple myeloma are proptosis, decreased vision, diplopia, swelling and ptosis. Our patient presented with a subconjunctival swelling in the right eye as unspecific early finding followed by the above-mentioned typical symptoms of an orbital lesion later with histopathology confirming diagnosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    C Blecha, H Helbig & T Dietrich-Ntoukas

  2. Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,

    D Wolff, B Holler & E Holler

  3. Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,

    O Kölbl

  4. Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    E Huber

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  1. C Blecha
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  2. D Wolff
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  3. O Kölbl
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  6. B Holler
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  8. T Dietrich-Ntoukas
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Correspondence to C Blecha.

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Blecha, C., Wolff, D., Kölbl, O. et al. Isolated orbital relapse of multiple myeloma in a patient with severe chronic GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 49, 988–989 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2014.81

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