[Jacqueline]

Anemia criteria for multiple myeloma diagnosis?

by Jacqueline on Fri May 01, 2015 9:11 am

Hello,

I had a blood test (I do not have all the results) and I would like your opinion:

Leukocytes: 6300 (N: 4000-10000)
Red cells: 3.63 million (N: 3.8-5.8 M)
Hemoglobin: 11.5 (N: 11.5-16)
Hematocrit: 35 (N: 37-47)

Platelets, MCV, MCH, MCHC = OK.

Vitamin B12 130 (N: >133)

Since 4 years I have been followed (first for MGUS IgG kappa, but hematologist classified me now in a stage 1), my hemoglobin levels are slowly but steadily falling (at the very beginning I was 13).

Is it anemia (CRAB criteria for multiple myeloma)?

Note that I do not eat meat at all ... just fish, eggs and soy ...

I have my electrophoresis result in a short week (we have holidays now in France), but I'm already starting to be stressed out ....

Thank you

[Multibilly]

Re: Anemia criteria for multiple myeloma diagnosis?

by Multibilly on Fri May 01, 2015 9:30 am

Jacqueline,

Anemia by CRAB standards requires a hemoglobin level < 10 g/dl or 2 g/dl < normal. So, you aren't considered to be anemic by multiple myeloma standards.

You also need to be careful when interpreting what a "Stage 1" diagnosis means. It all depends on whether your doctor is using the ISS standard of staging or the Durie/Salmon standard of staging. They mean quite different things depending on which standard he/she is using. See this thread to better understand the differences:

"Does stage 1 multiple myeloma = smoldering myeloma?" (started Jul 2, 2014)

When you meet with your doctor, you might also consider discussing taking an iron supplement or changing your diet. See this thread for a discussion on when my blood numbers were starting to drop:

"Counteracting anemia" (started Jul 23, 2014).

[Jacqueline]

Re: Anemia criteria for multiple myeloma diagnosis?

by Jacqueline on Fri May 01, 2015 3:52 pm

Thank you very much, Multibilly.

I often feel discouraged ...