What do kappa and lambda light chains mean in myeloma?
Light chains are small protein pieces that make up part of normal antibodies. Healthy antibodies look like a Y-shape, made of two "heavy" chains and two "light" chains linked together.
In myeloma, abnormal plasma cells can produce excess amounts of these light chains Show Full Answer
What do kappa and lambda light chains mean in myeloma?
Light chains are small protein pieces that make up part of normal antibodies. Healthy antibodies look like a Y-shape, made of two "heavy" chains and two "light" chains linked together.
In myeloma, abnormal plasma cells can produce excess amounts of these light chains. There are two types:
- Kappa light chains - one type of light chain protein
- Lambda light chains - the other type of light chain protein (note: you mentioned "panda" but the correct term is "lambda")
When someone has light chain myeloma, their cancerous plasma cells produce only these light chain pieces instead of complete antibodies. The condition is further categorized based on which type is overproduced - either kappa light chain myeloma or lambda light chain myeloma.
These excess light chains can be particularly harmful because they're small enough to easily circulate in the bloodstream and can clog the kidney's filters, potentially leading to kidney damage. About 15 percent of myeloma cases are light chain myeloma.
Doctors use blood tests called serum-free light chain tests to measure these proteins and monitor myeloma.
March 31
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