Plasma-cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy and endocrine disorders associated with dysfunction of salivary glands

A case of plasma-cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy and endocrine disorders that showed dysfunction of the salivary glands is reported. A 49-year-old Japanese man noticed swelling of the cervical lymph nodes and numbness in the lower extremities in May 1983. Histological examination of the enlarged cervical lymph nodes revealed many follicles penetrated by radial capillaries and proliferation of capillaries and plasma cells in the interfollicular area, forming Castleman disease-like lesions. The patient complained of a dry mouth and noticed swelling of the submandibular salivary gland in April 1984. Microscopic examination of this gland revealed an angiofollicular lymphoid lesion resembling that in the lymph nodes. He also suffered from an endocrine disturbance characterized by increased serum adrenocorticotropic hormone and impotence. This is the second reported case of plasma-cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy and endocrine disorders that showed dysfunction of exocrine secretion. This case indicates that attention must be paid to organs of exocrine secretion as well as of endocrine secretion in this disease.