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Re: No diagnosis yet but very confused

by Cheryl G on Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:48 pm

Great to hear that your diagnosis is just MGUS, Mike. As you know, most MGUS patients never progress to multiple myeloma.

I do think you should watch your MGUS carefully, however. Your M-spike is toward the higher end of the spectrum for someone with MGUS, and an elevated M-spike is a risk factor for more rapid progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma. See this table for additional information,

http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/articles/hottopics/transcripts/2011/03-mgus/15.html

as well as this journal article which, I believe, is a common reference for factors affecting the risk of progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma,

"Serum free light chain ratio is an independent risk factor for progression in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance," SV Rajkumar et al., Blood, Aug 1, 2005; 106(3): 812–817.

It highlights the fact that the kappa/lambda free light chain ratio is an important factor affecting how likely someone with MGUS is to progress to multiple myeloma. I don't believe you have had your free light chain levels tested yet. So that's also something you may want to have done the next time you have your blood tested.

Good luck!

Cheryl G

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