Free Lambda Light Chain Multiple Myeloma

Light chain multiple myeloma is a type of multiple myeloma a cancer of the plasma cells.

Free lambda light chain multiple myeloma.

Ninety seven patients with light chain disease lcd were studied. There are 2 types of light chains called kappa and lambda. 0 57 2 63 mg dl multiple myeloma may be indicated by increased lambda free light chains and a decreased kappa lambda ratio. About 15 of patients have light chain myeloma.

If you have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma a blood test called a serum free light chain assay freelite played an important role in your diagnosis and will continue to be important in. A lower proportion of kappa lcd patients 15 7 than lambda lcd patients 42 2 died within. Multiple myeloma begins in the bone marrow where white blood cells are formed. Serum free lambda light chains14 30 normal range.

Light chain myeloma sometimes called bence jones myeloma. About 20 out of 100 people with myeloma 20 do not produce complete immunoglobulins. This type of myeloma is usually more severe than the classic kind. Generally myeloma specialists do not treat patients differently based on their heavy or light chain myeloma type.

In this type of myeloma the myeloma cells secrete only light chain protein and no heavy chains. The most common type of myeloma is igg kappa. They only produce part of the immunoglobulin called the light chain. The serum free light chain test can be used to determine light chain levels of disease so patients will want to track their light chain numbers.

The median survival from diagnosis was 30 mo for 52 patients with kappa lcd and 10 mo for 45 patients with lambda lcd p less than 0 0007. Myeloma cells make immunoglobulins. When the body detects an infection these white blood cells transform into plasma cells which create proteins called immunoglobulins also known as antibodies. Multiple myeloma may be indicated by increased kappa free light chains and an increased kappa lambda ratio.

The light chains can show up in the urine. In igg kappa myeloma the myeloma cells produce an immunoglobulin made from two igg heavy chains bound to two kappa light chains. These immunoglobulins are made up of only one type of heavy chain g a d e or m and one type of light chain kappa or lambda. There is research showing that lambda myeloma may be higher risk than kappa myeloma.