Breast Plasmacytoma as the Initial Manifestation of Multiple Myeloma in a 36-Year-Old Woman

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) of the breast are extremely rare and may present as the initial manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM). We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly growing right breast mass. Mammography and ultrasound revealed an oval, circumscribed, heterogeneous, vascular mass, measuring up to 4.2 cm, categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4. Core needle biopsy revealed a plasmablastic/plasmacytic neoplasm with strong CD138 expression, lambda light chain restriction, high Ki-67 index, and negative Epstein-Barr virus early RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH), consistent with plasmablastic plasmacytoma. Systemic staging confirmed the diagnosis of MM, and the patient underwent chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. This case illustrates how breast plasmacytoma (BP) can mimic primary breast malignancies on imaging, particularly triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, lymphoma, or malignant phyllodes tumor. Although rare, it should be considered in younger patients with atypical breast masses. Diagnosis relies on biopsy with histopathological and immunophenotypic confirmation. Early recognition and biopsy are key, as BP may mimic aggressive breast malignancies and carry prognostic significance in MM.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2025-07-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.87929
Primary Topic
Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Breast Plasmacytoma as the Initial Manifestation of Multiple Myeloma in a 36-Year-Old Woman

Roberto Lo Gullo, Katja Pinker, Alice Huang, Maria Silva et al.
Cureus
Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments
article

Breast Plasmacytoma as the Initial Manifestation of Multiple Myeloma in a 36-Year-Old Woman

Roberto Lo Gullo, Katja Pinker, Alice Huang, Maria Silva, Janki Patel
article en

Abstract

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) of the breast are extremely rare and may present as the initial manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM). We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly growing right breast mass. Mammography and ultrasound revealed an oval, circumscribed, heterogeneous, vascular mass, measuring up to 4.2 cm, categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4. Core needle biopsy revealed a plasmablastic/plasmacytic neoplasm with strong CD138 expression, lambda light chain restriction, high Ki-67 index, and negative Epstein-Barr virus early RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH), consistent with plasmablastic plasmacytoma. Systemic staging confirmed the diagnosis of MM, and the patient underwent chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. This case illustrates how breast plasmacytoma (BP) can mimic primary breast malignancies on imaging, particularly triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, lymphoma, or malignant phyllodes tumor. Although rare, it should be considered in younger patients with atypical breast masses. Diagnosis relies on biopsy with histopathological and immunophenotypic confirmation. Early recognition and biopsy are key, as BP may mimic aggressive breast malignancies and carry prognostic significance in MM.

CureusVol. 17(7)
University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (PT), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 79%
Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments
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Breast Plasmacytoma as the Initial Manifestation of Multiple Myeloma in a 36-Year-Old Woman — Roberto Lo Gullo, Katja Pinker, et al. · Cureus (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS