I know there is so much to learn and so many medical terms that it is making my head spin! A lady that I know, he husband just had a stem cell transplant at MD Anderson and we have been corresponding. She asked what my husband's protein (light chain ?) was in his urine and blood.
We only had initial paperwork from internist that was taken September 12th, from what I could find it said from his 24 hours urine. It was 524, I think!!! I have no idea if I am looking at the right think. She also asked about it in his blood. Do not know the answer to that, she said her husband's was 1500. Dan someone explain in lay terms what a kappa light chain is?
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Re: What are light chains?
The abnormal plasma cells that occur in myeloma patients usually produce excessive levels of a specific antibody, or immunoglobulin. The amount of the excessive immunoglobulin that is found in a person's blood (serum) or urine is measured by a key lab value that goes by different names in different countries: M-spike, paraprotein level, monoclonal protein, m-protein, etc.
Someone who is healthy does not have an M-spike because they don't have myeloma cells that are hyperactively producing excess levels of a very specific immunoglobulin.
The body produces five different types of immunoglobulins, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. Someone with myeloma, however, will usually produce excess amounts of just one of those immunoglobulins. That is their "involved" immunoglobulin.
So you will hear myeloma patients talking about having type IgG or type IgA myeloma.
Now, about the kappa and lambda stuff.
Immunoglobulins are built from parts called heavy chains and light chains. There are two types of light chains -- kappa and lambda. A specific immunoglobulin molecule will have either kappa or lambda light chains, but not both.
So, there are IgG kappa and IgG lambda immunoglobulin molecules.
And, once again, myeloma patients typically produce excessive amounts of just one type of these specific types of immunoglobulin molecules.
So that's why you will hear people say "I have IgA lambda myeloma" or "My husband has IgG kappa myeloma."
When plasma cells build immunoglobulin molecules, they usually create too many light chains, so even healthy people have what are known as "free" (unbound) light chains floating around in their blood.
But someone with myeloma who has not yet been treated, or who is relapsing, will have really high levels in their blood of the particular kind of light chain (kappa or lambda) that their myeloma cells produce.
Those are the levels measured in the blood and urine free light chain tests. Patients will have their kappa and lambda free light chain levels measured, and the ratio of the two will also be reported.
Hope this helps.
Someone who is healthy does not have an M-spike because they don't have myeloma cells that are hyperactively producing excess levels of a very specific immunoglobulin.
The body produces five different types of immunoglobulins, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. Someone with myeloma, however, will usually produce excess amounts of just one of those immunoglobulins. That is their "involved" immunoglobulin.
So you will hear myeloma patients talking about having type IgG or type IgA myeloma.
Now, about the kappa and lambda stuff.
Immunoglobulins are built from parts called heavy chains and light chains. There are two types of light chains -- kappa and lambda. A specific immunoglobulin molecule will have either kappa or lambda light chains, but not both.
So, there are IgG kappa and IgG lambda immunoglobulin molecules.
And, once again, myeloma patients typically produce excessive amounts of just one type of these specific types of immunoglobulin molecules.
So that's why you will hear people say "I have IgA lambda myeloma" or "My husband has IgG kappa myeloma."
When plasma cells build immunoglobulin molecules, they usually create too many light chains, so even healthy people have what are known as "free" (unbound) light chains floating around in their blood.
But someone with myeloma who has not yet been treated, or who is relapsing, will have really high levels in their blood of the particular kind of light chain (kappa or lambda) that their myeloma cells produce.
Those are the levels measured in the blood and urine free light chain tests. Patients will have their kappa and lambda free light chain levels measured, and the ratio of the two will also be reported.
Hope this helps.
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JimNY
Re: What are light chains?
Thank you so much for your answer, sometimes I feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, I have did so much research that I feel like I am spinning!!! Thank you again and I will keep you posted on the results ...
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