[Multibilly]

Re: My mother's test results

by Multibilly on Fri Sep 02, 2016 3:30 pm

Hi Tonhuger,

Did the latest results actually use the word "sus­picious", or are you quoting from one of the earlier tests? What were the exact words used to summarize the latest SPEP and immunofixation find­ings?

A monoclonal protein usually shows up as a narrow dark band with pretty well defined borders within a suspect lane on a immunofixation graph (the 5 lanes to the right to the right of the ELP (SPEP) lane on the left side of the graph). I'm not a pathologist and certainly not expert at interpreting immunofixation and SPEP results, but the kappa lane looks like the potentially suspicious lane to me, followed by the IgG lane. However, the bands aren't quite as distinct as what I've seen on other immunofixation test results, so I'm guessing that's why they are saying there is no suggestion of a monoclonal gammopathy.

It also appears that only the kappa free light chain and IgG levels are elevated now, whereas before the kappa and lambda free light chain levels and IgG and IgM levels were all elevated. So, these latest results are less suggestive of a polyclonal disorder.

As Dr. Shah suggested earlier, a bone marrow biopsy would really help to make better sense of these test results. If it were me, I'd be pushing to get a bone marrow biopsy under the guidance of a multiple myeloma specialist (not just a hematologist, but a hematologist who specializes in multiple myeloma).