Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Systemic AL amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2005
- Authors:
- Kim, D Y et al.
- Affiliation:
- College of Veterinary Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 16-year-old Quarter horse gelding was diagnosed with a rare condition called systemic AL amyloidosis, which is often linked to a type of cancer known as multiple myeloma. This horse was experiencing significant weight loss, muscle wasting, soft stools, and swelling in the belly. Tests showed serious bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, thickening of the intestinal lining, and an enlarged spleen. Further examination revealed that the horse had a large number of abnormal plasma cells in the spleen and bone marrow, which are associated with the cancer. This case is notable because it is only the second time this condition has been reported in domestic animals and the first time it has been linked to multiple myeloma.
Abstract
AL amyloidosis is the most common type of systemic amyloidosis in humans, and it is frequently associated with multiple myeloma. But, AL amyloidosis is very rare in domestic animals. A 16-year-old Quarter horse gelding was diagnosed with systemic AL amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma. Clinical problems were rapid weight loss, muscle atrophy, soft unformed stool, and ventral edema. Grossly, diffuse gastrointestinal hemorrhage, markedly thickened jejunal mucosa, and splenomegaly were present. Microscopically, diffuse severe amyloid deposits were present in the lamina propria of glandular stomach, duodenum, and jejunum. Much of the spleen and sternal bone marrow was replaced by neoplastic round cells, and multiple foci of amyloid were also present in the spleen and bone marrow. Electron microscopy revealed the neoplastic round cells to be of plasma cell origin, and the amyloid showed a strongly positive immunoreactivity with polyclonal anti-human immunoglobin lambda light-chain antisera. To our knowledge, this is the second report describing systemic AL amyloidosis in domestic animals-associated plasma cell neoplasia and the first associated with multiple myeloma, as is common in humans.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15657277/