[Grant]

What is a "normal" paraprotein (M-spike) level?

by Grant on Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:29 am

I was just wondering how paraprotein concentrations work.

In a person without multiple myeloma, would their paraprotein concentration (M-spike) be 0?

I have just come out of a stem cell transplant and my free light chains are now all normal and my paraprotein concentration is 3 g/L (0.3 g/dL), and I was wondering how good or otherwise this might be?

My doc says it's good, but he's always very optimistic.

[Multibilly]

Re: What is a "normal" paraprotein (M-spike) level?

by Multibilly on Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:20 am

Hi Grant,

It looks like you are approximately 100 days post-transplant, right?

A "normal" person has no M-spike.

But the way that doctors evaluate the success of a multiple myeloma treatment is through some well-defined response criteria. The response criteria compares one's M-spike and some other factors prior to treatment and after treatment. To see where you land on the response criteria spectrum, please refer to this thread:

"How to figure out your response to treatment?", forum discussion started Oct 18, 2013.

[NStewart]

Re: What is a "normal" paraprotein (M-spike) level?

by NStewart on Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:04 am

0.3 g/dl is a very good response if looked at in isolation. But, it usually is compared to where you were prior to treatment and to transplant. If you are about 100 days out from your transplant, as MultiBilly says, you may still see a drop in your m-spike lower than 0.3 g/dl. My m-spike was the same prior to transplant as it was at 100 days post transplant - 0.6 g/dl. But, by 7 months post transplant, it had dropped to 0.0 g/dl and stayed there for many months.

Continue to do well and listen to your doctor's optimism sometimes.
Nancy in Phila

[Grant]

Re: What is a "normal" paraprotein (M-spike) level?

by Grant on Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:10 am

Thanks, that helps. I'm 80 days post transplant and celebrating my 1-year anniversary of being diagnosed.

My initial reading was 45 g/l (7 g/l just pre-transplant) and lambda light chains where 185 mg/l, which has now come down to normal range, so I guess based on that, I've had a good response ... wohoo!