Kappa Light Chain Myeloma

The light chains can show up in the urine.

Kappa light chain myeloma. About 20 out of 100 people with myeloma 20 do not produce complete immunoglobulins. In this patient power segment host dr. Susan leclair discusses what kappa light chains are and answers what an increase in kappa light chain numbers might mean for a patient with myeloma. Sometimes these deposits give rise to a substance called amyloid resulting in a disease called amyloidosis which consists of the deposit of this amorphous substance.

They only produce part of the immunoglobulin called the light chain. The most common type of m protein in myeloma is igg. Their risk of amyloidosis and leukemia is also higher as they progress farther into the. The most common type of myeloma is igg kappa.

There are 2 types of light chains called kappa and lambda. Light chain multiple myeloma is a type of multiple myeloma a cancer of the plasma cells multiple myeloma begins in the bone marrow where white blood cells are formed. Leclair provides a thorough scientific breakdown of light chains and the way they work. Healthy blood cells produce antibodies that help to fight infection.

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. There is research showing that lambda myeloma may be higher risk than kappa myeloma. When the body detects an infection these white blood cells transform into plasma cells which create proteins called immunoglobulins also known as antibodies. Patients face a more rapid doubling time for the disease and they have a greater tendency to develop bone lesions or osteolyticlesions they also tend to have an increased prevalence of hypercalcemia or calcium in the blood.

In igg kappa myeloma the myeloma cells produce an immunoglobulin made from two igg heavy chains bound to two kappa light chains. There are two types of light chains called kappa and lambda. Light chain myeloma typically is much more aggressive than the typical form. Of light chains or bence jones myeloma are most likely to cause damage to the kidney and deposit components of light chain in the kidneys nervous system or other organs.

In the clip dr. Each of these immunoglobulins have a light chain like kappa or lambda and a heavy chain like igg iga igm etc. High levels of igm suggest you may have waldenstrom s macroglobulinemia. Generally myeloma specialists do not treat patients differently based on their heavy or light chain myeloma type.

Leclair is a patient power host and retired. Kappa light chain multiple myeloma treatment multiple myeloma is a rare form of cancer that begins in the bone marrow when abnormal plasma cells accumulate and crowd out healthy blood cells. Myeloma cells make immunoglobulins. Light chain myeloma sometimes called bence jones myeloma.