Reactive plasmacytoses can mimick plasma cell leukemia: Therapeutical implications

or a relative number greater than 20% of peripheralwhite blood cells [1]. PCL represents less than 5% ofmalignant plasma cell disorders and the outcome ofpatients with PCL is extremely poor with a mediansurvival less than 1 year in most cases [2–4]. TheIFM group reported in a series of 40 cases with PCLthat 11 patients died within the first month ofdiagnosis, indicating that cytoreductive therapy isurgently required when the diagnosis is made [4].Nevertheless, before initiating cytotoxic therapy,including alkylating agents and/or dexamethasone,one must eliminate the diagnosis of reactive plasma-cytosis (RP).We here report three cases of RP observed inour department over a 3-year period (Table I).In each case, the number of circulating PC (Figure 1)was superior to 2610