title: Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance.
abstract: The monoclonal gammopathies include multiple myeloma (MM), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), primary systemic amyloidosis (AL), and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). At Mayo Clinic, almost 60% of patients with a monoclonal gammopathy have MGUS. MGUS is characterized by the presence of a serum monoclonal protein value <3 g/dL, fewer than 10% plasma cells in the bone marrow, no or a small amount of monoclonal protein in the urine, and absence of lytic bone lesions, anemia, hypercalcemia, or renal insufficiency related to the plasma-cell proliferative process. During long-term follow-up of 241 patients with MGUS seen at Mayo Clinic from 1956 to 1970, MM, WM, AL, or a related disorder developed in 64. To confirm the findings, we conducted a population-based study on MGUS in the 11 counties of southeastern Minnesota from 1960 to 1994. The risk of progression to a malignant plasma-cell disorder was 1% per year.
authors: Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. kyle.robert@mayo.edu
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Kyle
authors: S Vincent
authors: SV
authors: Rajkumar
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008998:Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology