Question

You are working as a junior doctor in a GP practice as part of one of your rotations. You are reviewing the bloods of a 74-year-old male patient who presented with nausea and intermittent vomiting. The patient also complained of 'aching all over' especially in his back and limbs, he says over the last few months he found himself feeling low. He suspects his low mood has led to weight loss and has lost 15kg in the past 3 months. He has been smoking 40 cigarettes a day for the past 60 years and complains of having a 'smoker's cough', explaining that sometimes his handkerchief is 'red stained'.

On review of his blood work, you notice marked hypercalcaemia, anaemia and raised white cells.
Based on these findings, what is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 1

The most likely diagnosis for the patient is multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the symptoms and blood work findings of a 74-year-old male patient, the most likely diagnosis is multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. The symptoms described, including weight loss, hypercalcemia, anemia, raised white cells, and bone pain, are characteristic of multiple myeloma. The patient's smoking history and cough with red-stained sputum are additional signs of the disease.

A bone marrow biopsy and further diagnostic tests would be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.