Serum free light-chain measurements for identifying and monitoring patients with nonsecretory multiple myeloma.
Using sensitive, automated immunoassays, increased concentrations of either kappa or lambda free light chains (and abnormal kappa/lambda ratios) were detected in the sera of 19 of 28 patients with nonsecretory multiple myeloma. Four other patients had suppression of one or both light chains, and the remaining 5 sera had normal or raised free light-chain concentrations with substantially normal kappa/lambda ratios. Six of the patients with an elevated single free light chain, who were studied during follow-up, had changes in disease activity that were reflected by the changes in free light-chain concentrations. It is concluded that quantification of free light chains in serum should prove useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of many patients with nonsecretory myeloma.
Drayson
M
M
Department of Immunology, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, England.
Tang
L X
LX
Drew
R
R
Mead
G P
GP
Carr-Smith
H
H
Bradwell
A R
AR
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000097:blood*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains