Proliferative disorders of the plasma cell.

The incidence of plasma cell malignancies increases with age. Since the average age of the American population is increasing, family physicians can expect to diagnose and manage an increasing number of these patients. Symptomatology is varied and, in early stages, subtle. The principal entities are multiple myeloma. Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and heavy chain diseases. Comparatively benign disorders include benign monoclonal gammopathy and plasmacytoma. The cornerstone for diagnosis of plasma cell malignancies is serum immunoglobulin electrophoresis.