[Multibilly]

Re: Monoclonal protein band in husband's urine

by Multibilly on Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:56 pm

Hi Sister in Law,

What a history. I can understand your angst.

The results you posted are serum electrophoresis lab results. The first set on numbers are the absolute values of each of the measured proteins. The next set of numbers are the relative percentages of each of the proteins that the test measured.

If the serum immunofixation test (I guess you are still waiting on that test) detects an abnormal serum monoclonal protein, the measured value of that abnormal serum protein should show up somewhere on these test results (might be called "abnormal protein band, paraprotein, M-protein, M-spike, etc). It also might show up in a separate notation elsewhere on the same page of the report.

But if you did have an abnormal protein level in the blood serum, you would typically expect the total protein level to be a bit elevated. It's therefore a bit peculiar to me that it is just the opposite (low at 5.3 g/dL).

However, this low total protein level might be due to the low gamma level, which could be explained by hypogammaglobulinaemia. But a doc really needs to interpret these results and comment. Good luck!

Component Results Value Std Range
ELP Total Protein 5.3 6.2-8.2
ELP Albumin 3.4 3.5-5.0
ELP Alpha A1 0.2 0.1-0.4
ELP Alpha A2 0.6 0.5-1.1
ELP Beta 1 0.4 0.4-0.8
ELP Beta 2 0.3 0.2-0.5
ELP Gamma 0.3 0.6-1.5

ELP Albumin% 63.3 45.0-80.0
ELP Alpha A1% 4.7 1.0-6.0
ELP Alpha A2 % 12.1 6.0-17.0
ELP Beta 1 % 8.3 5.0-13.0
ELP Beta 2 % 5.2 2.0-8.0
ELP Gamma % 6.3 7.5-24.0

[Sister In Law]

Re: Monoclonal protein band in husband's urine

by Sister In Law on Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:40 pm

Hi again,

The PA we are seeing told us that light chain disease will cause the proteins to be lower than normal. Heavy chains raise the protein.

I am afraid. We have been down this road before with lambda light chains. I just hope it is at the MGUS stage. He has some neuropathy and nausea. Lots of fatigue. Our PA said that can happen at the MGUS stage. He's seen it. I am holding out hope for MGUS.

So tired of this nightmare in the family. We buried his mom in April from Parkinson's and his sister in December from her stem cell ordeal. Cancer was in remission, but kidneys shot and dialysis didn't seem to help much.

Exhausted and depressed. We are just starting some sort of battle and we are tired.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Monoclonal protein band in husband's urine

by Nancy Shamanna on Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:37 pm

Hi sister-in-law,

I am sorry to hear of the cancers in your family and understand why it is really stressful now to be worrying about your husband too.

I don't have much to give in the way of advice, but I see you mentioned light chain disease. As well as the serum free light chain testing (SFLC) and the 24 hour urine testing, and as well as all of the other myeloma type serum (blood) tests, I have heard of another test, the HEVY LITE. Now, this test is put out by the same company that does the SFLC test, i.e. The Binding Site.

I listened to two talks from the scientific rep from the Binding Site. An oncologist from a cancer centre may send out to have this test done, since it is not a usual test given. From what I understood, the Mayo Clinic was one centre to which the tests were sent. This to me indicates that it is very important to be seen at a centre of excellence for myeloma patients. That might give you peace of mind, to be seen by the best doctors out there. You could get advice from readers of the forum as to where such a centre might be near you.

Hope that helps.

[Sister In Law]

Re: Monoclonal protein band in husband's urine

by Sister In Law on Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:12 am

Hi again,

I think the hardest part is not knowing anything. All we know is that he has lambda light chains only. It's so early in this ordeal. I wish we could fast track this. A PA friend of ours said that the lambda light chain disease doesn't have numbers or letters after it ... like IgA or IgG, etc. I think he may be wrong?

I hope that he has MGUS. His blood work does not have high calcium, low hemoglobin, and all is good except the protein is a little low and so is the albumin, barely. The creatinine and BUN are fine. Globulins were a bit low, too, I think. He's got the neuropathy from this and had some con­stipation, lightheadedness, and a lot of fatigue. Some things have resolved since this hit him in June. The fatigue remains and the neuropathy.

I hope that lambda MGUS is possible without amyloidosis. UGH!

We have an appointment with an oncologist on October 2. A week away. Too long.

Thanks for listening. I know you all are living this in one form or another.