01.12.2011 | Case report | Ausgabe 1/2011 Open Access
Gastrointestinal relapse of multiple myeloma and sustained response to lenalidomide: a case report
- Zeitschrift:
- Journal of Medical Case Reports > Ausgabe 1/2011
Wichtige Hinweise
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1752-1947-5-110) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
PRB, JMD, LF, ACG and PYD were directly involved in the management of the patient. PRB wrote the manuscript with support from TAM and PYD. TAM and XM reviewed and interpreted the pathology slides and CT scan images, respectively. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Abstract
Introduction
Gastrointestinal relapse in patients with multiple myeloma is very rare and, when reported, always associated with a poor prognosis.
Case presentation
We describe the case of a 71-year-old Caucasian man who presented with life-threatening hematemesis and melena due to a digestive relapse of his multiple myeloma. Despite the active hemorrhage, we initiated a third-line treatment with lenalidomide. The response was spectacular and long-lasting.
Conclusions
Clinicians must consider digestive tract involvement in myeloma patients presenting with a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Furthermore, myeloma patients do benefit from novel oral drugs, even when they are critically ill.