Head and neck amyloidosis: clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical analysis of 14 cases

Abstract

Our results show that the head and neck region is preferentially affected by systemic AL-amyloidosis, usually associated with plasma cell dyscrasia. Interestingly, two cases affected by inflammatory rheumatic diseases presented AL-amyloid deposition. Moreover, even after pretreatment with potassium permanganate, which was helpful in highlighting the presence of AL-amyloid, in agreement with the IHC findings, clinical classifications should be carefully made in systemic amyloidosis.