Monoclonal gammopathy of cutaneous significance: review of a relevant concept

Some dermatologic entities are strongly associated with the presence of a monoclonal gammopathy. They should be referred to as monoclonal gammopathy of cutaneous significance ( MGCS ). A short review of the main entities that fit into the spectrum of MGCS is provided. Amyloidosis, macroglobulinoderma and follicular hyperkeratotic spicules result from extravascular immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin‐related protein deposition . Skin findings include papules and plaques, follicular spicules, purpura, haemorrhagic bullae, macroglossia and nail changes. The skin findings in cryoglobulinemia ( CG ) result from vascular immunoglobulin deposition , either as immune complexes within the vessel walls in mixed CG or within the lumina of small vessels in monoclonal CG . Mixed CG manifests as palpable purpura of leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and monoclonal CG as stellar and/or retiform purpura that can evolve into extensive skin necrosis. In some rare instances, immunoglobulins have a specific biological activity . This is, for example, the case when they bind lipoproteins that precipitate and induce hypocomplementemic xanthomas. Xanthoderma related to antiflavin activity of the monoclonal component or acquired angioedema related to anti‐C1 INH activity is other example. Abnormal cytokine secretion is the hallmark of some entities. High vascular endothelial growth factor levels correlate with some of the skin manifestations of the Polyneuropathy organomegaly endocrinopathy monoclonal component skin changes syndrome, such as hypertrichosis or the adenopathy and extensive skin patch overlying plasmacytoma syndrome. All the clinical manifestations of the Schnitzler syndrome are IL ‐1 mediated. In other MGCS , such as scleromyxedema, Clarkson syndrome, TEMPI syndrome, cutis laxa and the neutrophilic dermatoses, the link between the monoclocal component and the entity is clearly established, but not understood so far.