[Robert]

Light chains - what's their significance?

by Robert on Wed Apr 02, 2014 12:51 am

Can someone help explain this? I know it's part of the elevated protein in my blood, but I don't fully understand the significance.

Serum free kappa light chain: 0.63
Serum free lambda light chain: 16.60

I know that the "lambda" value is too high. Is is correct that the prognosis is worse if the lambda light chain is elevated rather than the kappa light chain?

Thank you.

[Wayne K]

Re: Light chains - what's their significance?

by Wayne K on Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:03 am

It can be either, and of course it throws the ratio out of line also. I have high lambda numbers. I'm presently at 49, but in '09 I was over 5K.

I'm no doctor, but 16 doesn't sound very high, especially given the fact it is known that you have it.

[Dr. Edward Libby]

Re: Light chains - what's their significance?

by Dr. Edward Libby on Thu Apr 03, 2014 11:55 am

Hello from gray Seattle,

For most myeloma patients the free light chanins are not needed to follow the course of the disease, a serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is adequate. But in 10-20% of patients the SPEP does not reflect the activity of the myeloma but the serum free light chains do. In these patients free light chain levels are critical. Many oncologists order both tests routinely but for most patients the SPEP is the most important value.