Hi ,
Could anyone tell me what result would show negative for myeloma on this test?
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/BUOrderInfo.action?tc=17099&labCode=TMP
I'm planning to have it done to out rule myeloma.
Forums
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Negative for multiple myeloma on that test = no abnormal protein bands and normal results for the free light chain results – particularly the kappa/lambda free light chain ratio.
Those results would not COMPLETELY rule out multiple myeloma. There are rare cases where someone could still have multiple myeloma even with the results I just described. In that case, you would look for signs of the disease in things like your hemoglobin levels (are they in the anemia range?), blood calcium levels (are they elevated?), and your blood creatinine levels (are they elevated?).
But if you don't have any signs of the disease in those other blood test results, and you don't have abnormal protein bands and no signs of the disease in your free light chain results, it's unlikely you have multiple myeloma or one of the related diseases (MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma).
Those results would not COMPLETELY rule out multiple myeloma. There are rare cases where someone could still have multiple myeloma even with the results I just described. In that case, you would look for signs of the disease in things like your hemoglobin levels (are they in the anemia range?), blood calcium levels (are they elevated?), and your blood creatinine levels (are they elevated?).
But if you don't have any signs of the disease in those other blood test results, and you don't have abnormal protein bands and no signs of the disease in your free light chain results, it's unlikely you have multiple myeloma or one of the related diseases (MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma).
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Jonah
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
These aren't exactly the tests you want to have done.
Yes, you want a serum protein electrophoresis test. But you don't want this particular kappa / lambda test. You want to instead have your doc order this test:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/TestDetail.action?ntc=11234
And if you do the serum protein electrophoresis test, you want to also be doing a serum immunofixation test. The first test measures the amount of abnormal proteins. The second test tells you if any abnormal proteins are present and what kind they are.
Yes, you want a serum protein electrophoresis test. But you don't want this particular kappa / lambda test. You want to instead have your doc order this test:
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/TestDetail.action?ntc=11234
And if you do the serum protein electrophoresis test, you want to also be doing a serum immunofixation test. The first test measures the amount of abnormal proteins. The second test tells you if any abnormal proteins are present and what kind they are.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Nice catch Multibilly. I missed that the light chain test on the original test was total light chains, not just free light chains. Glad you noticed that.
I agree that the immunofixation test also would be useful. I didn't mention it because it wasn't part of the original test that was posted.
I agree that the immunofixation test also would be useful. I didn't mention it because it wasn't part of the original test that was posted.
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Jonah
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Sorry to be confused ... If I started with the first test, though, and it was negative, would the other ones need to be done? Or would they only be sorting out abnormal results?
Hope my question makes sense.
Hope my question makes sense.
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Hypochondriac17
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Are you getting these tests on your own or will a doctor be ordering and interpreting them?
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
My doctor agreed to order them but is not a specialist.
I have severe health anxiety and am being treated as well by a psychologist who felt I needed to confront this in order to respond better to treatment with the hopes that we will be able to stop my health anxiety in the future.
I just want to make sure we don't make a mistake regarding testing.
I have severe health anxiety and am being treated as well by a psychologist who felt I needed to confront this in order to respond better to treatment with the hopes that we will be able to stop my health anxiety in the future.
I just want to make sure we don't make a mistake regarding testing.
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Hypochondriac17
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
You really want to do these tests as a package.
If the immunofixation comes back positive and tells you the type of abnormal protein you might have, then you will be left asking about how much abnormal protein there actually is on the serum protein electophoresis results ... and vice versa. The free light chain assay is also important because it can assist in detecting versions of multiple myeloma that may not be picked up by the electrophoresis test when first being diagnosed ... and it generally provides information on markers that often go hand-in-hand with any abnormal proteins measured by the electrophoresis test.
These are all pretty cheap tests.
Why do you suspect multiple myeloma in the first place?
If the immunofixation comes back positive and tells you the type of abnormal protein you might have, then you will be left asking about how much abnormal protein there actually is on the serum protein electophoresis results ... and vice versa. The free light chain assay is also important because it can assist in detecting versions of multiple myeloma that may not be picked up by the electrophoresis test when first being diagnosed ... and it generally provides information on markers that often go hand-in-hand with any abnormal proteins measured by the electrophoresis test.
These are all pretty cheap tests.
Why do you suspect multiple myeloma in the first place?
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Frankly part of it is just hypochondria as I have a history of doing invasive testing for diseases I'm afraid of based on test results that I freak out over . My alkaline phosphotase was a few points under normal after a period of severe stress. I read this could be caused by myeloma and flipped out. My doctor wasn't even slightly worried because all my other numbers were good:
Calcium 9.8
Protein 6.7
GFR 107
Hemoglobin 13.2
I can't stop worrying and keep imagining various twinges in my body . Doctor says the ALP was likely caused by my slightly hypo thyroid or zinc deficiency.
I will probably do the test just so I can move on with my life.
I have severe OCD regarding health and have ended up in the emergency room twice after seeing off labs. It's exhausting.
I have a therapist working on this with me! Sorry for posting here I hope it doesn't upset / offend anyone. Mental illness is ruining my life, so I'm trying to take action to solve it.
Calcium 9.8
Protein 6.7
GFR 107
Hemoglobin 13.2
I can't stop worrying and keep imagining various twinges in my body . Doctor says the ALP was likely caused by my slightly hypo thyroid or zinc deficiency.
I will probably do the test just so I can move on with my life.
I have severe OCD regarding health and have ended up in the emergency room twice after seeing off labs. It's exhausting.
I have a therapist working on this with me! Sorry for posting here I hope it doesn't upset / offend anyone. Mental illness is ruining my life, so I'm trying to take action to solve it.
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Hypochondriac17
Re: What test result will rule out multiple myeloma?
Your numbers look great. I can't imagine that you would have multiple myeloma, but only your doctor can make that determination.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
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