Hello,
I'm curious about the BMB result, though it was done quite a while ago.
Please help me with these terms...
1. CD138+
2. CD38+
3. CD56-
4. CD19-
The report remarks said that "CD38 + CD138 = 11.8%."
Are CD138+ and CD138- different? Does low level of CD138+ mean a high leverl of CD138- ? Thanks for the help!
It's so scary reading these numbers... you don't know which one is a good or a bad marker.
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Re: Please help me defining the term "CD"
Hey TPT,
Don’t freak out.
These are "clusters of differentiation," hence the designation “CD” in CD138+, etc.
Plasma cells have various groups of antigens on their surface. These antigens are flags that help tell your immune system if the cell is a friend or foe. There are many different flags (clusters of differentiation), something like 300 different ones. Healthy plasma cells have their own unique combination of flags. Myeloma plasma cells can have some slightly different flags. One of the more common flags found in myeloma cells is CD138. The overall profile of your flags is what is called your immunophenotype.
When analyzing the cells during your test, some of these flags pop up and others don’t. When they do pop up, they are positive (i.e. CD138+). When they don’t pop up, they are negative (i.e. CD56-).
Healthy plasma cells typically have the following profiles of clusters of differentiation: CD19+, CD45+, CD20–, and CD56–.
Myeloma cells can have the following profiles of clusters of differentiation: CD56+, CD38+, CD138+, CD19-, CD45-, etc.
Your test is just telling you that you have a typical profile of CDs found on the surface of myeloma cells. They aren’t additive like you suggest and each CD is unique. You are showing that you have CD38+ and CD138+ on 11.8% of your marrow cells. Likewise, CD19 and CD56 aren’t popping up and are therefore reported as CD19- and CD56-.
Note that the unique CDs found on the surface of myeloma cells are the basis of how some of the new drugs coming out for myeloma treatment work. These drugs use these specific CDs to target the myeloma cells for execution or to finally go through a natural death process (instead of just living on and on like cancer cells tend to do).
The overall profile of your specific flags (positive or negative) and specifically the levels of certain flags (low or high) can have some some impact on one’s prognosis. This is something that you should discuss with your doctor to get his/her take…but again, don’t freak out and dwell on this.
Hope this helps.
Don’t freak out.
These are "clusters of differentiation," hence the designation “CD” in CD138+, etc.
Plasma cells have various groups of antigens on their surface. These antigens are flags that help tell your immune system if the cell is a friend or foe. There are many different flags (clusters of differentiation), something like 300 different ones. Healthy plasma cells have their own unique combination of flags. Myeloma plasma cells can have some slightly different flags. One of the more common flags found in myeloma cells is CD138. The overall profile of your flags is what is called your immunophenotype.
When analyzing the cells during your test, some of these flags pop up and others don’t. When they do pop up, they are positive (i.e. CD138+). When they don’t pop up, they are negative (i.e. CD56-).
Healthy plasma cells typically have the following profiles of clusters of differentiation: CD19+, CD45+, CD20–, and CD56–.
Myeloma cells can have the following profiles of clusters of differentiation: CD56+, CD38+, CD138+, CD19-, CD45-, etc.
Your test is just telling you that you have a typical profile of CDs found on the surface of myeloma cells. They aren’t additive like you suggest and each CD is unique. You are showing that you have CD38+ and CD138+ on 11.8% of your marrow cells. Likewise, CD19 and CD56 aren’t popping up and are therefore reported as CD19- and CD56-.
Note that the unique CDs found on the surface of myeloma cells are the basis of how some of the new drugs coming out for myeloma treatment work. These drugs use these specific CDs to target the myeloma cells for execution or to finally go through a natural death process (instead of just living on and on like cancer cells tend to do).
The overall profile of your specific flags (positive or negative) and specifically the levels of certain flags (low or high) can have some some impact on one’s prognosis. This is something that you should discuss with your doctor to get his/her take…but again, don’t freak out and dwell on this.
Hope this helps.
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Please help me defining the term "CD"
You did a great job of explaining this. It answered my question--certainly. I hope others can take benefit from your answer, as well.
Cool, then--at least in our case we have CD56-, though the rest are positive
Thanks again!
Cool, then--at least in our case we have CD56-, though the rest are positive
Thanks again!
3 posts
• Page 1 of 1