Free Lambda Light Chain Multiple Myeloma

About 20 out of 100 people with myeloma 20 do not produce complete immunoglobulins.

Free lambda light chain multiple myeloma. In this type of myeloma the myeloma cells secrete only light chain protein and no heavy chains. Light chain myeloma also known as light chain disease is a type of multiple myeloma in which the malignant bone marrow cells produce free monoclonal light chain proteins. Light chain multiple myeloma is a type of multiple myeloma a cancer of the plasma cells. When the body detects an infection these white blood cells transform into plasma cells which create proteins called immunoglobulins also known as antibodies.

Myeloma cells make immunoglobulins. The light chains can show up in the urine. They only produce part of the immunoglobulin called the light chain. About 15 of patients have light chain myeloma.

This type of myeloma is usually more severe than the classic kind. The serum free light chain test can be used to determine light chain levels of disease so patients will want to track their light chain numbers. The median survival from diagnosis was 30 mo for 52 patients with kappa lcd and 10 mo for 45 patients with lambda lcd p less than 0 0007. A lower proportion of kappa lcd patients 15 7 than lambda lcd patients 42 2 died within.

In a study with 493 british patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma the sflc was evaluated for 17 of these patients and concluded that the sflc number was more indicative of response to therapy than was the involved immunoglobulin number such as levels of igg iga etc. Multiple myeloma begins in the bone marrow where white blood cells are formed. Ninety seven patients with light chain disease lcd were studied. Serum free lambda light chains14 30 normal range.

There is research showing that lambda myeloma may be higher risk than kappa myeloma. 0 57 2 63 mg dl multiple myeloma may be indicated by increased lambda free light chains and a decreased kappa lambda ratio. Numerous studies have shown that responses to myeloma treatment can be evaluated through serum free light chain levels. Light chain myeloma sometimes called bence jones myeloma.

In igg kappa myeloma the myeloma cells produce an immunoglobulin made from two igg heavy chains bound to two kappa light chains. The most common type of myeloma is igg kappa. These immunoglobulins are made up of only one type of heavy chain g a d e or m and one type of light chain kappa or lambda. There are 2 types of light chains called kappa and lambda.