Purpose:

Multiple myeloma is a neoplasic proliferation of plasma cells with systemic repercussion and osteolytic lesions. The initial diagnosis by a mandibular lesion is extremely rare. Therefore we present a clinical case of multiple myeloma diagnosed following pain and swelling from an ostelytic mandibular lesion, and we review the literature in order establish a clinical profile and a typical radiological image that would allow us to suspect the diagnosis with more certainty.

Material and methods:

A 46 year-old woman comes to the Emergency Department complaining about preauricular pain and swelling. The orthopantomography shows a radiolucid multilolocular image along the mandibulary ramus and condyle. The histology and extension follow up concludes with a multiple myeloma diagnosis. A systematic review of Pubmed database was made searching for mandibular lesion at initial diagnosis of multiple myeloma within the last 5 years.

Results:

We found 13 cases including ours The mean age was 61 years with a slight male predominance; the most common clinical presentation was a firm to hard mandibular swelling with or without mucosal ulceration; and the most characteristic radiological image was a uni or multilocular osteolysis, with periostic reaction in one case.

Conclusions:

A mandibular lesion as a first sign of multiple myeloma is infrequent. Nevertheless, a maxilofacial surgeon should suspect a plasma cell neoplasia in cases of mandibular osteolytic images and start further studying without delay.

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