B2M and neoplasm: Patients with decreased PLR were characterized with high tumor burden: higher frequency of elevated beta-2 microglobulin (median, 5.79 vs. 4.74 mg/L; p < 0.012), ISS stage III (54.2% vs. 40.8%; p = 0.0064), low hemoglobin (79.0 vs. 93.0 g/L; p < 0.0001), higher percentage of plasma cells as assessed by conventional morphology (31.5% vs. 25.5% PCs; p = 0.0003), or by immunophenotyping (9.38% vs. 5.75% PCs; p = 0.0197).