A case of nonproductor myeloma is reported. The diagnosis was supported by the radiological findings, the heavy marrow infiltration of malignant plasma cells, the absence of a monoclonal component in the serum or urine and the failure to demonstrate intracytoplasmic immunoglobulins with immunofluorescent techniques. The clinical findings of our patient are similar to those reported for the 5 cases of nonproductor myeloma described so far, indicating that there are no characteristic features differentiating nonproductor myeloma from productor myelomas.

Using an in vitro method that allows the study of the colony forming capacity of phytohemagglutinin stimulated peripheral blood T lymphocytes, we have detected an impaired T cell colony formation in hemodialyzed renal failure patients. By contrast a near normal pattern of responses was observed in patients treated with a conservative therapy. The poor in vitro T cell responsiveness of hemodialyzed patients was not corrected by supplementing the cultures with an adherent cell contitioned medium prepared from normal donors. We conclude that an intrinsic defect of the T cell colony forming capacity exists in hemodialyzed patients.

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A patient with dermoid cyst of the ovary and erythrocytosis is described. Surgical removal of the tumour was followed by a progressive decrease of the red cell mass with remission of the haematological abnormalities. Tumour fluid contained significant erythropoietic stimulating activity. This seems to be the first documented case of erythrocytosis associated with ovarian cyst.