I have been recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma and find myself easily confused with the terminology of the disease. So I was wondering if anyone can help me make sense of my numbers?
My family and I have set up a schedule that if everything goes as planned or scheduled, I should be having a plasma transplant around July of 2015. How do I read or recognize a "M-spike"?
(columns in tables below are: test name, normal range, my results)
WBC Diff
Neutrophils %, automated count 42.0-75.0 % 76.0
Lymphocytes %, automated count 20.0-51.0 % 14.0
Monos %, AUTO 1.0-12.0 % 9.7
Eosinophils %, automated count 0.0-10.0 % 0.2
Basophils %, automated count 0.0-1.0 % 0.1
RBC nucleated auto count, BLD <=0 % 1
Neutrophils, absolute, auto count 1.8-7.7 x1000/mcL 6.3
Lymphocytes, automated count 1.2-3.4 x1000/mcL 1.2
Monocytes, automated count 0.1-1.0 x1000/mcL 0.8
Eosinophils, automated count 0.0-0.7 x1000/mcL 0.0
Basophils, automated count 0.0-0.2 x1000/mcL 0.0
Immuno G A M, Kappa, Lambda
IgG 700-1600 mg/dL 414 (prev 461)
IgA 70-400 mg/dL 3600 (prev 4350)
IgM 40-230 mg/dL <17 (prev <18)
Kappa free light chain 3-19 mg/L 950 (prev 2270)
Lambda free light chain 6-26 mg/L 6 (prev 12)
Kappa/lambda ratio 0.3-1.7 158.3 (prev 189.2)
CBC Complete w/ Diff
WBC'S auto 4.0-11.0 x1000/mcL 8.2
RBC, auto 4.20-5.40 Mill/mcL 3.75
HGB 12.0-16.0 g/dL 10.8
HCT, auto 37.0-47.0 % 33.8
MCV 81.0-99.0 fL 90.1
MCH 27.0-35.0 pg/cell 28.8
MCHC 32.0-37.0 g/dL 32.0
RDW, blood 11.5-14.5 % 18.5
Platelets, automated count 130-400 x1000/mcL 201
Forums
6 posts
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Shari - Name: Shari
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/12/2015
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Where is the M-spike in my lab results?
Shari,
Your M-spike isn't included in these reports. You need to look at your Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) test results to get that value. It may be listed in a separate notation on the SPEP report as an "M-spike", "paraprotein" "monoclonal protein", or "M-protein" value (they are all the same thing). Alternatively, it may be listed as a value labelled as "Abnormal Protein Band 1" (or something similar to that) in the SPEP report.
Your M-spike isn't included in these reports. You need to look at your Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) test results to get that value. It may be listed in a separate notation on the SPEP report as an "M-spike", "paraprotein" "monoclonal protein", or "M-protein" value (they are all the same thing). Alternatively, it may be listed as a value labelled as "Abnormal Protein Band 1" (or something similar to that) in the SPEP report.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Where is the M-spike in my lab results?
Hi again Mulitbilly, I just cut and pasted my test result numbers and I see both M-protein and abnormal protein elect...... so which do I read to know if I have a M-spike (what does the M-spike mean anyway)?? Really curious to make sense of this multiple myeloma (multiple myeloma).
TOTAL PROTEIN 6.0 - 8.0 g/dL 8.3
ALBUMIN 3.40 - 4.90 g/dL 3.45
ALPHA-1-GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.17 - 0.50 g/dL 0.27
ALPHA-2-GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.55 - 1.00 g/dL 0.58
BETA GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.65 - 1.10 g/dL 3.70
GAMMA GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.70 - 1.60 g/dL 0.30
M-PROTEIN, SERUM 0.00 - 0.00 g/dL 2.77
PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS RESULT, SERUM Abnormal
TOTAL PROTEIN 6.0 - 8.0 g/dL 8.3
ALBUMIN 3.40 - 4.90 g/dL 3.45
ALPHA-1-GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.17 - 0.50 g/dL 0.27
ALPHA-2-GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.55 - 1.00 g/dL 0.58
BETA GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.65 - 1.10 g/dL 3.70
GAMMA GLOBULIN, ELECTROPHORESIS 0.70 - 1.60 g/dL 0.30
M-PROTEIN, SERUM 0.00 - 0.00 g/dL 2.77
PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS RESULT, SERUM Abnormal
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Shari - Name: Shari
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/12/2015
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Where is the M-spike in my lab results?
Your M-spike = the M-protein level of 2.77 g/dL.
If you were able to look at the actual graph that the labs use to detect and measure an M-spike, you would find that there is actually a "spike" in your SPEP graph that is caused by the monoclonal (unhealthy/cancerous) immunoglobulin in your blood. Hence the name "M-spike" ("M" = monoclonal)
See this link to see what this spike looks like.
http://www.myelomapennstate.net/Contents/12b-Lab.htm
In your case, this unhealthy/monoclonal immmunoglobulin is specifically IgA immmunoglobulin (immunoglobulin is just a fancy word for a kind on antibody in your blood).
Remember that your IgA reading was high (3600 mg/dL) on your other test results, right? This is because you have both normal/healthy IgA immunoglobulins in your blood PLUS unhealthy/monoclonal versions of your IgA due to your multiple myeloma. The IgA value in your lab result includes both the healthy and monoclonal versions of the IgA levels and that is why your IgA level is elevated so much.
Not to confuse matters too much, but measuring IgA-type M-spikes with an SPEP has its challenges and is often inaccurate...so your doctor will clearly be looking at all of your lab values to help track the disease.
Hope this helps.
If you were able to look at the actual graph that the labs use to detect and measure an M-spike, you would find that there is actually a "spike" in your SPEP graph that is caused by the monoclonal (unhealthy/cancerous) immunoglobulin in your blood. Hence the name "M-spike" ("M" = monoclonal)
See this link to see what this spike looks like.
http://www.myelomapennstate.net/Contents/12b-Lab.htm
In your case, this unhealthy/monoclonal immmunoglobulin is specifically IgA immmunoglobulin (immunoglobulin is just a fancy word for a kind on antibody in your blood).
Remember that your IgA reading was high (3600 mg/dL) on your other test results, right? This is because you have both normal/healthy IgA immunoglobulins in your blood PLUS unhealthy/monoclonal versions of your IgA due to your multiple myeloma. The IgA value in your lab result includes both the healthy and monoclonal versions of the IgA levels and that is why your IgA level is elevated so much.
Not to confuse matters too much, but measuring IgA-type M-spikes with an SPEP has its challenges and is often inaccurate...so your doctor will clearly be looking at all of your lab values to help track the disease.
Hope this helps.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Where is the M-spike in my lab results?
Thanks, multibilly, for the link. Your posts are always so informative.
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torimooney - Name: tori
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: apr 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: Where is the M-spike in my lab results?
I have a copy of my husband's SPEP and his IgG is normal, his M is < 4, but his IgA is the one elevated. Thus our PCP told us it looks like IgA myeloma, but I do not see an actual number referring to an M spike on the report. There is no graph included. Thanks.
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dogmom - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
6 posts
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