Osteolytic lesions are a common manifestation of multiple myeloma, though their healing is rare in these patients. Generally, during a complete remission, lesions only stop progressing; radiologically evident recalcification is exceptional.
Herein we report a case of a male patient born in 1941 and diagnosed in 2005 with IgA multiple myeloma presenting with multiple osteolytic bone lesions. Administration of 4 cycles of VAD chemotherapy (vincristine, adriamycin, dexamethasone) with subsequent autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and maintenance treatment with interferon alpha had resulted into a very good partial remission. In 2009, the disease relapsed with enlargement of osteolytic lesions evident on skiagrams. The largest lesion, reaching 24 x 10 mm in size, was located in the left femur. A complete remission of the disease was achieved with CVD senior regimen (cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, dexamethasone, 8 cycles in total). Bisphosphonates (zoledronate, ibandronate and, from 2007, clodronate) were administered as a long-term supportive therapy. A one-year follow-up skiagram of the left femur revealed over 50% regression of the osteolytic lesion (10 x 5 mm) documented in a set of pictures herein.
A complete remission of the disease after an administration of bortezomib (Velcade)-based regimen in a long-term clodronate (Bonefos)-treated patient with relapsed multiple myeloma is radiographically apparent by clear healing signs of the osteolytic bone lesion.