Your doctor will run specific blood tests to determine your myeloma type. The main differences are:
• Heavy chain myeloma: Shows abnormal IgG or IgA proteins in blood tests (IgG is most common, found in about 50% of cases)
• Light chain myeloma: Only shows light chain proteins (also called Bence Jones proteins)
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Your doctor will run specific blood tests to determine your myeloma type. The main differences are:
• Heavy chain myeloma: Shows abnormal IgG or IgA proteins in blood tests (IgG is most common, found in about 50% of cases)
• Light chain myeloma: Only shows light chain proteins (also called Bence Jones proteins)
• Nonsecretory myeloma: Shows no abnormal proteins (very rare) For a specific light chain myeloma diagnosis, doctors will look at:
• Serum-free light chain blood test results
• Urine tests to check for light chains
• Additional tests like bone marrow biopsy and imaging to confirm diagnosis and check for organ damage
It's important to discuss your specific test results with your doctor, as they can best interpret what type of myeloma you have based on your complete lab work.
September 10, 2025
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