title: Serum test for assessment of patients with Bence Jones myeloma.
abstract: Bence Jones protein in urine (immunoglobulin free-light-chains) is characteristic of light-chain multiple myeloma. We aimed to compare a quantitative immunoassay for serum free-light-chains with urine tests. Of 224 patients with light-chain myeloma tested at entry to clinical trials, all were correctly identified from serum samples. During monitoring of 82 patients, changes in serum and urine free-light-chains corresponded, but urine became negative for free-light-chains in 26 patients, whereas it remained abnormal in serum in 73 patients. Serum assays could replace Bence Jones protein urine tests for patients with light-chain multiple myeloma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunity and Infection, Medical School, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK. a.r.bradwell@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Arthur R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bradwell
authors.forename: Hugh D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Carr-Smith
authors.forename: Graham P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Drayson
mesh_terms: D001536:Bence Jones Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000097:blood; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D001536:Bence Jones Protein