What is a serum free light chains test?

Serum free light chain (SFLC) testing is ordered to help detect, diagnose, and monitor plasma cell disorders (dyscrasias), including multiple myeloma, primary amyloidosis, and related diseases or to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Light chains are proteins produced by plasma cells.

What is elevated serum immunoglobulin free light chains?

If the amount of free light chains is higher or lower than normal, it can mean you have a disorder of the plasma cells. These include multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, and amyloidosis, a condition that causes a dangerous buildup of proteins in different organs and tissues.

What is serum free light chain ratio?

A markedly elevated serum free light chain (FLC) ratio may serve as a biomarker for malignant transformation in high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) and identify patients who are at imminent risk of progression.

Is immunoglobulin a light chain?

Each immunoglobulin molecule is made up of two heavy chains (green) and two light chains (yellow) joined by disulfide bonds so that each heavy chain is (more…) Two types of light chain, termed lambda (λ) and kappa (κ), are found in antibodies. A given immunoglobulin either has κ chains or λ chains, never one of each.

Can you have myeloma for years without knowing?

Some people have multiple myeloma for months or years before they even know they’re sick. This earliest phase is called smoldering multiple myeloma. When you have it, you won’t have any symptoms, but your test results will show: At least 10% to 59% of your bone marrow is made up of cancerous plasma cells.

When should you suspect multiple myeloma?

19 Multiple myeloma should be considered as a diagnosis in patients over 50 years of age with back pain persisting more than one month if one or more red flags (Table 1) are identified.

Is light chain disease the same as multiple myeloma?

Light-chain multiple myeloma (LCMM) is a less frequent type of multiple myeloma (MM), with a more aggressive course and poorer prognosis. It is characterized by the inability of the malignant plasma cells to produce heavy chains, resulting in the exclusive production of light chains.

Which is worse kappa or lambda?

Patients with lambda light chain disease have a three times worse prognosis than kappa light chain disease.

Is myeloma a death sentence?

Today, a multiple myeloma diagnosis is no longer a death sentence because our community’s efforts have helped bring 11 new drugs through FDA-approval.

Who is most likely to get multiple myeloma?

Myeloma occurs most commonly in people over 60. The average age at diagnosis is 70. Only 2% of cases occur in people under 40.

What are the first warning signs of multiple myeloma?

When signs and symptoms do occur, they can include:

• Bone pain, especially in your spine or chest.
• Nausea.
• Constipation.
• Loss of appetite.
• Mental fogginess or confusion.
• Fatigue.
• Frequent infections.
• Weight loss.

What are free light chains serum?

Serum free light chain assay, Freelite This test looks for signs of antibodies called immunoglobulins in your blood. Immunoglobulins are made by white blood cells called plasma cells to help protect you against infection and illness. The light chains attach themselves to the heavy chains and are then called bound light chains.

What is free light chain serum?

Free light chains (FLC) or serum free light chains (SFLC) refer to those that are not part of whole (intact) immunoglobulins and are present in the blood.

What causes elevated free kappa light chain?

What causes elevated Kappa free light chains? Elevated kappa and lambda (K/L) free light chain (FLC) may occur due to polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia or impaired renal clearance. A specific increase in FLC (eg, FLC K:L ratio) must be demonstrated for diagnostic purposes.

What is serum free light chain test?

Serum free light chain testing provides complementary information. It can detect the excessive free light chains that may be produced by neoplastic plasma cells and changes in the ratio of kappa and lambda production, which indicate an excess of these clonal plasma cells.