Solitary Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of Nasal Cavity: An Emerging Differential Diagnosis of Nasal Masses

Background: This study was carried out with an aim of studying the characteristics of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) of the nasal cavity and reporting it as an emerging differential diagnosis of nasal masses. Materials and Methods: A hospital record-based analysis was performed with case sheets of 197 patients who underwent surgery for nasal masses, over a period of 2-year ranging from July 2012 to June 2014. The findings pertaining to the clinical picture and treatment response of cases diagnosed as solitary EMP of nasal cavity were analyzed and compared with the available literature. Results: There was 4 (80%) male and 1 (20%) female patient with a mean age of 54.4 years, of which 2 (40%) cases had a history of removal of a nasal mass within last 2 years. The main presenting symptoms were nasal obstruction (80%), nasal bleeding (60%), visible mass in nose (40%), and pain in nose (20%). The mean tumor size was 4.7 cm. After a median follow-up period of 24-month, 3 (60%) patients are alive and disease-free, 1 (20%) patient is alive with multiple myeloma and 1 (20%) patient died of multiple myeloma. There were no cases of loco-regional recurrence following radiotherapy until the documentation of this study. Conclusion: Solitary EMP of the nasal cavity presents with nonspecific clinical and radiological features. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasal masses. Surgery followed by radiotherapy gives promising results. However, in lieu of its propensity for local recurrence and progression to multiple myeloma, a long-term follow-up is mandatory.