Relapsing polychondritis, smouldering non-secretory myeloma and early myelodysplastic syndrome in the same patient: three difficult diagnoses produce a life threatening illness.

Multiple myeloma, relapsing polychondritis and myelodysplastic syndrome are all serious diseases in which making a clear diagnosis can be difficult. This case of a 72-year-old man found after extensive investigation to have all three of the above, demonstrates how difficult diagnosis and treatment can be, producing in this case a life threatening clinical syndrome. We also postulate that the association of these three diseases may be an immune-derived complication of myelodysplastic syndrome.