Multiple Myeloma Lambda Light Chain Type

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

Multiple myeloma lambda light chain type.

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. This type of myeloma is usually more severe than the classic kind. There are two types of light chains called kappa and lambda. Kappa and lambda are the only two subtypes of light chain multiple myeloma.

These remain as free light chains and are released into the bloodstream. Most people with multiple myeloma produce increased amounts of either kappa or lambda free light chains which can be measured in blood. The light chains can show up in the urine. One of the key markers that myeloma doctors pay attention to are 1 the involved light chain for your type of myeloma kappa or lambda and 2 the kappa lambda light chain ratio.

In addition light and or heavy chains the building blocks of antibodies may be secreted in isolation. There are 2 types of light chains called kappa and lambda. Plasma cells come from the bone marrow and they produce antibodies also called immunoglobulins that fight wide variety of infections. A lower proportion of kappa lcd patients 15 7 than lambda lcd patients 42 2 died within.

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. While doctors may choose not to treat smoldering myeloma if it progresses to multiple myeloma a patient will receive a treatment that may include chemotherapy radiation therapy and stem cell transplants. Each of these immunoglobulins have a light chain like kappa or lambda and a heavy chain like igg iga igm etc. Igg iga igd ige and igm.

There are five different types of these heavy chain proteins. They only produce part of the immunoglobulin called the light chain. This represents about 3 of all people with multiple myeloma. κ or λ light chains or any of the five types of heavy chains α γ δ ε or μ heavy chains.

Ninety seven patients with light chain disease lcd were studied. Light chain myeloma sometimes called bence jones myeloma. Consequently the ratio of kappa to lambda light chains is abnormal and is a sensitive indicator for this disease. However sometimes the body produces too many heavy chains which also causes multiple myeloma.

People without evidence of a monoclonal protein may have nonsecretory myeloma not producing immunoglobulins. High levels of igm suggest you may have waldenstrom s macroglobulinemia. The most common type of myeloma is igg kappa. Kappa lambda light chains in multiple myeloma multiple myeloma is a blood cancer of white blood cells called plasma cells.

The possible types of light chains are either kappa κ or lambda λ.