[JimNY]

Re: Clinical significance of kappa or lambda FLCs?

by JimNY on Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:18 pm

Hi Dana,

This may surprise you, but the type of myeloma a patient has can change. This seems to be something that is seen particularly after stem cell transplants. I do wonder, though, if researchers will start seeing it more often after drug-only upfront regimens now that more effective drug-only regimens are being used for newly diagnosed patients.

You can read more about the "developing a different type of myeloma" phenomenon after transplant in this recent forum discussion:

"Impact of different M-spike after transplant on prognosis?", Beacon forum discussion started July 25, 2014.

[Cheryl G]

Re: Clinical significance of kappa or lambda FLCs?

by Cheryl G on Sat Aug 23, 2014 11:54 pm

Dana,

The information that Jim posted above is useful, but I'm not sure it's directly relevant to your case. From what I can tell, your myeloma hasn't necessarily changed. It looks like you're still IgG lambda, like you were at diagnosis.

So what exactly do you feel has changed?

Is it the fact that your light chains are increasing, but your M-spike is staying relatively low?

[darnold]

Re: Clinical significance of kappa or lambda FLCs?

by darnold on Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:26 pm

Thanks, Jim. I had stopped reading Beacon posts over the summer, so I missed that discussion.

Hi Cheryl. You're correct -- I started out IgG lambda and still am. The difference is the lambda light chains surged upward this time, but the M spike is staying at a low, incremental level. That's what made me wonder what is different about how the myeloma is expressing itself this time. (I was going to say "how the myeloma is behaving this time, but we all know it is always misbehaving!!) Nothing is different in my genetics.

Dana A

[Spanish Mary]

Re: Clinical significance of kappa or lambda FLCs?

by Spanish Mary on Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:53 pm

Hi Dana, this is a late reply as I've only seen this posting today. I've read in Wikilite that the half life of lambda light chains is 3-6 hours whereas IgG has a 21 day half life. Changes in IgG will therefore take much longer to show up than changes in light chains.