If someone has multiple myeloma resulting in kidney function down to 10 percent and has to go through hemodialysis to keep them alive and then gets treatment for the multiple myeloma, which is stopped by the treatment, will the kidneys be able to recover since the multiple myeloma would no longer be destroying them?
Is there any other way to somehow help the kidneys recover or not be affected by multiple myeloma?
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Re: Can kidneys recover from damage due to multiple myeloma?
Hi John,
I'm certainly no expert in this area. Excess free light chain levels due to myeloma is often the cause of renal failure in myeloma patients. There does appear to be a form of hemodialysis known as HCO-dialysis that can filter out the excess free light chains in one's blood (see article below). So perhaps that could be a stopgap measure before drug treatment is initiated?
Walther, C, et al, "Treatment of acute kidney injury with cast nephropathy," Clinical Nephrology, Volume 82 (2014) - July (1 - 6) (abstract)
This is an extended article on the subject of renal impairment in myeloma patients and the various treatment options. It also covers the subject of HCO-dialysis mentioned in the article above.
Yadav, P, et al., "Current Trends of Renal Impairment in Multiple Myeloma," Kidney Diseases, March 2016 (full text of article)
Whether or not the kidneys with this level of function can recover at this point with treatment is really better commented on by the patient's oncologist and nephrologist.
I'm certainly no expert in this area. Excess free light chain levels due to myeloma is often the cause of renal failure in myeloma patients. There does appear to be a form of hemodialysis known as HCO-dialysis that can filter out the excess free light chains in one's blood (see article below). So perhaps that could be a stopgap measure before drug treatment is initiated?
Walther, C, et al, "Treatment of acute kidney injury with cast nephropathy," Clinical Nephrology, Volume 82 (2014) - July (1 - 6) (abstract)
This is an extended article on the subject of renal impairment in myeloma patients and the various treatment options. It also covers the subject of HCO-dialysis mentioned in the article above.
Yadav, P, et al., "Current Trends of Renal Impairment in Multiple Myeloma," Kidney Diseases, March 2016 (full text of article)
Whether or not the kidneys with this level of function can recover at this point with treatment is really better commented on by the patient's oncologist and nephrologist.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Can kidneys recover from damage due to multiple myeloma?
Hi John,
In addition to the helpful links Multibilly shared with you, I thought I'd share a few previous discussions here in the forum that might have information you'd find helpful. As it turns out, the subject you've raised has come up a number of times, although in slightly different ways each time.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/multiple-myeloma-kidney-renal-damage-reversal-t8344.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/can-kidneys-improved-drastically-with-treatment-t3539.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/kidney-function-recovery-multiple-myeloma-t5462.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/can-creatinine-levels-kidney-function-improve-t2243.html
My sense from reading some of the postings in those discussions, and from some of the articles on the subject, is that kidney function recovers in some patients, particularly those who did not experience severe kidney function for extended periods of time. The more severe the initial kidney damage, and the longer it existed, the less likely it is, I believe, for the kidney function to return to a significant extent.
I think a patient's response to treatment matters to some extent when it comes to how much kidney function can recover. Most treatments these days, however, are effective enough to prevent the kidneys from being damaged a lot after treatment starts. So it's really how much damage occurred before the start of treatment that matters the most when it comes to how well the kidneys can recover.
Good luck!
In addition to the helpful links Multibilly shared with you, I thought I'd share a few previous discussions here in the forum that might have information you'd find helpful. As it turns out, the subject you've raised has come up a number of times, although in slightly different ways each time.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/multiple-myeloma-kidney-renal-damage-reversal-t8344.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/can-kidneys-improved-drastically-with-treatment-t3539.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/kidney-function-recovery-multiple-myeloma-t5462.html
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/can-creatinine-levels-kidney-function-improve-t2243.html
My sense from reading some of the postings in those discussions, and from some of the articles on the subject, is that kidney function recovers in some patients, particularly those who did not experience severe kidney function for extended periods of time. The more severe the initial kidney damage, and the longer it existed, the less likely it is, I believe, for the kidney function to return to a significant extent.
I think a patient's response to treatment matters to some extent when it comes to how much kidney function can recover. Most treatments these days, however, are effective enough to prevent the kidneys from being damaged a lot after treatment starts. So it's really how much damage occurred before the start of treatment that matters the most when it comes to how well the kidneys can recover.
Good luck!
4 posts
• Page 1 of 1