[Bdette33]

Lumps on leg not sarcomas - could they be from myeloma?

by Bdette33 on Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:13 pm

I had surgery for two lumps on my right leg. After they were biopsied it was found that they were not malignant sarcomas but that they were lambda specific. My blood test, kidney and liver function, and 24-hour urine sample all came back as fine. I have a bone marrow biopsy scheduled for this week.

I know a lot will depend on the bone marrow biopsy, but is it unusual for all the other tests to come back as fine and still have multiple myeloma?

Thank you.

[Little Monkey]

Re: Lumps on leg not sarcomas - could they be from myeloma?

by Little Monkey on Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:27 pm

Hi Bdette,

Unfortunately blood tests (SPEP or others), 24-hour urine samples, etc, and even bone marrow biopsies can come back clear and a person can still have multiple myeloma or a sister cancer called extramedullary plasmacytoma. It's rare, but it can happen. Other members of this forum may have a different opinion.

Have you had a test called a "serum free light chain assay" yet?

[Conundrum One]

Re: Lumps on leg not sarcomas - could they be from myeloma?

by Conundrum One on Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:16 am

I stopped chemo on April 10th to start the process for stem cell harvest. About 36 hours after they started the Neupogen shots, I presented with low back pain even though I was taking Zyrtec (cetirizine). Although the pain level has been intermittent from about a 3 to 8, it has not gone away (all the oncology people tell me it can't be from the Neupogen this far out).

My DO ordered an MRI. The MRI indicated that I have a lump on my upper left thigh bone. In the MRI is is noted as a subchondral cyst. I asked my oncologist about it on Monday and he didn't give me any indication of what it may be or if it was related to a multiple myeloma lesion that was noted on the same bone area last year. I also now have bone edema on L4-L5.and in the pubis ramas area. His answer for what causes bone edema was multiple myeloma (which of course he would because that is his line of work) and would not answer my question if it could be caused by anything else. I wish these oncologists would be more detailed when we ask questions.

The only options he offered were to go back on chemo (I took an extra 30 days off after harvest) and/or do palliative radiation. I am IgG lambda light chain only and I have only been off chemo for about 10 weeks. His concern was not that my light chains went up to 253; the concern was the pain in my low back and hip. I also have arthritis in the same L4-L5 same area.

So although I cannot directly answer your question, it seems that the cyst on my left femur may be related to what you have had removed, but no action has been suggested for mine.