Assessment of the Value of the Free Kappa and Free Lambda Light Chain Assay in Clinical Evaluation of Response to Treatment
Assessment of the Value of the Free Kappa and Free Lambda Light Chain Assay in Clinical Evaluation of Response to Treatment
Background: in patients with multiple myeloma there is a raised level of a protein, named M-protein. This M-protein is normally used to monitor disease status and evaluate response to treatment, as a decrease in M-protein is taken as evidence of therapeutic efficacy. However, the M-protein has a long half life in serum, approximately three weeks, which tend to be a practical problem, since the investigators can first determine hereafter if the treatment is effective.
A new assay has the possibility only to measure part of this protein, namely "the light chains", which also is measured in a blood sample. The half life of these light chains is much shorter, namely 2-6 hours. In theory, this means a more rapid measure of the effect of a given treatment, thereby being able to determine earlier if the treatment should continue or changed to another strategy.
Purpose: the purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical value of the use of the serum free light chain (sFLC) assay in comparison to the M-protein in monitoring patients under treatment for multiple myeloma.
Method: the investigators measure sFLC in patients receiving there 1st treatment, either at the time of diagnosis or in the relapse setting. sFLC is measured on a regular basis, and the results are compared to the M-protein.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
charlotte.toftmann.hansen@ouh.regionsyddanmark.dk0045 24428085
niels.abildgaard@ouh.regionsyddanmark.dk0045 65411637