{"entity":{"id":"paper-imwg-plasma-cell-leukaemia-definition-bcj-2021","kind":"paper","name":"IMWG consensus definition of primary plasma cell leukaemia at 5 percent circulating plasma cells","aka":[],"tldr":"The International Myeloma Working Group lowered the threshold for diagnosing plasma cell leukaemia from 20 percent to 5 percent circulating plasma cells, because patients at 5 percent already have the same dismal outlook.","summary":"Consensus statement from the International Myeloma Working Group reviewing evidence that 5 percent or more circulating plasma cells on a blood film carries the same poor survival as the historical 20 percent threshold, and redefining primary plasma cell leukaemia accordingly, with recommendations for work-up.","asOf":"2026-09-17","links":[{"label":"Blood Cancer J 2021","url":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41408-021-00587-0"},{"label":"PubMed","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857730/"}],"tags":[],"related":[],"cancers":["plasma-cell-leukaemia"],"sections":[],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":["blood-cancer-journal"],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"journal":"Blood cancer journal","year":2021,"doi":"10.1038/s41408-021-00587-0","pmid":"34857730","authors":"Fernández de Larrea C, Kyle R, Rosiñol L, et al.","paperType":"guideline","findings":[],"whatItMeans":"More patients now receive the diagnosis and the intensive, transplant-based approach that goes with it; trial eligibility uses the new definition.","caveats":["Based on retrospective series; treatment recommendations remain largely extrapolated from myeloma."],"changedPractice":true},"route":"/key-papers/paper-imwg-plasma-cell-leukaemia-definition-bcj-2021/","neighbours":{"cancer":[{"id":"plasma-cell-leukaemia","kind":"cancer","name":"Plasma cell leukaemia","route":"/cancers/plasma-cell-leukaemia/"}],"journal":[{"id":"blood-cancer-journal","kind":"journal","name":"Blood cancer journal","route":"/journals/blood-cancer-journal/"}]}}