[suzierose]

Re: Reading Lab Results

by suzierose on Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:46 am

Hi Orangeroses

You write:
The numbers that seem to be alarmingly out of proportion for me are the LDH at 7695 IU/L and the B2 MICROGLOBULIN, SERUM at 8.8 mg/L as well as the CREATININE SERUM at 2.60 mg/dL

You may wish to visit this site as they tell what all the lab values measure and how they impact multiple myeloma.
http://myeloma.org/ArticlePage.action?tabId=1&menuId=204&articleId=3177&aTab=-1&gParentType=menuitem&gParentId=204&parentIndexPageId=107

The normal values you mentioned in your first post are on lab reports to indicate what the value would be if it was normal and it lets you compare how your value(dad) is out of range. Yes, you are correct that your dads are significantly elevated above and out of normal range.

LDH is lactic dehydrogenase.
Cancer cells undergo gycolysis faster than the Krebs cycles and lactic acid is a by-product. High LDH therefore is indicative of rapidly replicating cancer cells. Effective multiple myeloma chemotherapy drives down the myeloma cells and the LDH falls back into normal range. LDH can also be used as a prognostic factor in multiple myeloma. Video:
http://myeloma.org/ArticlePage.action?articleId=2814

https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2010/11/01/detection-of-rapidly-dividing-plasma-cells-may-lead-to-more-targeted-treatment-for-multiple-myeloma-patients/

B2 microglobulin aka paraprotein

is a protein myeloma cells secrete. It serves as a prognostic factor as well. It works for those with secretory myeloma i.e. some patients myeloma cells that are non-secretory.. Otherwise they use free light chain assay when the myeloma is non-secretory. Additionally, C-MSF has been found to be a more precise than B2 microglobulin.
https://myelomabeacon.org/resources/2008/10/15/prognosis/
https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2010/01/12/m-csf-may-act-as-powerful-prognostic-factor-for-multiple-myeloma/

Serum creatinine tells you about renal function if the kidneys are filtrating proteins at a rate high enough to be effective for normal function.

Myeloma as you likely know means that the cancer cells crowd out normal wbc, and rbc in the bone marrow. The protein secreted by the myeloma cells can damage renal function. The more myeloma cells you have the harder it can be on the kidneys and for the patient can be fatigued (anemia) as the rbc's carry oxygen, whereas the wbc's produce antibodies and fight infections, so the patient is more susceptible to infection. Myeloma cells also create an imbalance in the building (osteoblasts) of new bone and chewing up (osteoclasts) of old bone, where the osteoclasts outnumber the osteoblasts thus causing significant bone damage, and the patients bones can break easy.

Hope this information helps

[Obayan]

Re: Reading Lab Results

by Obayan on Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:35 am

Ok, I still don't understand some of the lab report.... and there is nothing on here that shows most of what you guys are referring to... please explain what these are...

MCV
MCHC
MCH
MPV
CrCl (j)

[Christa's Mom]

Re: Reading Lab Results

by Christa's Mom on Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:46 pm

Here is a website that might help you.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cbc/tab/test

Good luck!

Lyn