Multiple myeloma and immune thrombocytopenia

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is frequently encountered in patients with ly mphoproliferative disorders. However this is only rarely reported in patien ts with multiple myeloma. We describe three cases who presented initially w ith the clinical manifestations of ITP but were subsequently found to have multiple myeloma. Platelet count increments to standard treatment modalitie s for ITP were observed in all three patients with transient or partial res ponse. The importance of recognizing the immune mediated thrombocytopenia i n patients with myeloma and the implications of this combination are discus sed.