Primary cutaneous plasmacytoma after rejection of a transplanted kidney: Case report and review of the literature

Immunosuppressed organ allograft recipients are at risk of developing lymphomas and lymphoproliferative disorders as a consequence of immunosuppressive therapy and long-term antigenic stimulation from both the graft and possible viral infections. No more than 4% of the malignant tumors detected in organ recipients are plasmacytomas. Primary cutaneous plasmacytoma is a rare type of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma arising primarily in the skin. It is derived from clonally expanded plasma cells with various degrees of maturation and atypia. We report the occurrence of a solitary cutaneous plasmacytoma in a 56-year-old male patient undergoing hemodialysis after rejection of a grafted kidney. The diagnosis was made a few months after the kidney had been surgically removed. A thorough examination showed no evidence of systemic disease. Skin lesions were successfully treated with local radiotherapy. After 2 years of follow-up there were no local or systemic recurrences. (C) 2004 The Japanese Society of Hematology.