[Fire4Effect]

Re: Can an MRI be substituted for an x-ray skeletal survey?

by Fire4Effect on Thu Apr 21, 2016 1:01 am

I just received more results. I was told the 24 hour urinalysis is normal. Below are the results of the Immunoglobulins Quant IgA / IgG / IgM and Protein Electrophoresis Serum tests.

I see the oncologist tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss the results of my blood work and urinalysis. I will report back.

Resize Immunoglobulins Quant.jpg (43.69 KiB) Viewed 403 times

[Fire4Effect]

Re: Can an MRI be substituted for an x-ray skeletal survey?

by Fire4Effect on Fri Apr 22, 2016 12:35 pm

Multibilly,

The visit with my oncologist went well. I have been diagnosed with MGUS and will be followed going forward. I have a similar situation with my prostate. Fifteen years ago they found atypical cells in my prostate and I am closely followed with annual blood work and biopsies every three years. Below is a screen shot of the last of the blood work relating to the MGUS diagnosis. I am very thankful the numbers are low.

It is so reassuring to understand what is going on with my body and your guidance has been invaluable to lead me to that understanding. I wish you and everyone here all the best for the future.

Howard

Protein Electrophoresis Serum.jpg (41.33 KiB) Viewed 374 times

[Fire4Effect]

Re: Can an MRI be substituted for an x-ray skeletal survey?

by Fire4Effect on Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:10 am

I just received my 3-month follow-up blood work results. The recent results look about the same as the April 17, 2016 results. The only difference I see is IgG lambda was identified on the initial tests, but IgG lambda and IgA kappa were identified in the latest blood work. How common is it to have two M proteins? All other blood work results were normal.

April 4, 2016 PAMF Lab

Paraprotein peak identified in gamma region accounting for 0.36 gm per dl,
Paraprotein identified IgG lambda

April 17, 2016 Quest Diagnostics Lab

Abnormal protein band 1: Measured 0.2 g/dl
No mention of the M-protein found.
Immunofixation Urine: Normal pattern. No monoclonal proteins detected.

July 12, 2016 Quest Diagnostics Lab

Abnormal protein band 1: Measured 0.2 g/dl
Two monoclonal immunoglobulins are detected. One identified as IgG lambda and the other as IgA kappa.

[Multibilly]

Re: Can an MRI be substituted for an x-ray skeletal survey?

by Multibilly on Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:10 pm

In a fairly recent 2012 study by the Mayo Clinic, about 6.5% of all monoclonal gammopathies were biclonal (n=1,364). The overall sample of 1,466 patients included those with MGUS, smoldering myeloma, multiple myeloma and other related disorders. While MGUS patients made up 51% of the total sample, about 2/3 of the 6.5% of patients with a biclonal presentation had MGUS.

So, it appears to show up more frequently with MGUS patients than in other stages and related diseases. The fact that biclonal gammopathy shows up more frequently in MGUS patients was also borne out in Kyle's now somewhat-dated study on a much smaller population of patients:

Kyle, R.A., et al., "The clinical aspects of biclonal gammopathies: review of 57 cases," American Journal of Medicine, December 1981 (abstract)

I know of no research that indicates any sort of a worse prognosis if one has a biclonal diagnosis.

[Fire4Effect]

Re: Can an MRI be substituted for an x-ray skeletal survey?

by Fire4Effect on Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:20 pm

Thanks so much. I searched endlessly and could not find anything. Now that I know it is called biclonal gammopathy, I can search for information. I will see my oncologist this week. I will let you know if he can add anything to the excellent information you provided.

I wonder how my inflammatory autoimmune disease figures into this. For the past few months I have been experiencing extreme dry mouth and viscous saliva.