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I think the more you learn about, understand and track your blood test results the better decisions your can make. And you can ask your doctor informed questions.
My M-protein or M-spike is measured in the Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) test. Not everyones MM is measured using this test. For some the abnormal protein cells show up in the Serum Free Light Chain tests (Kappa to Lambda ratio).
For SPEP they measure abnormal monoclonal (or paraprotein) cells in 2 bands; Gamma and Beta regions. Your specific "bad" proteins should typically be in only one band. If they are showing up in a second band ask your doctor about this. My SPEP tests always have a comment from a doctor who analyzed the results and provides information on these measurements.
So make sure you can get a copy of these comments every time you get tested. And talk to your doctor to understand what region you and your team should be monitoring.
I learned the more you try to understand the labs the more upsetting you will get. You have to trust your oncology team. I do know it's difficult to deal with the disease we have MM. These expert doctors are well experienced in their field. I find my Mayo cancer team do monitor my monthly lab result trends. So I finally stopped questioning my monthly labs until at the quarterly appointment. I write my questions down each time and well prepared to ask at the appts.
Being newly diagnosed and then hearing about a second M protein is understandably unsettling. It's important to know that M protein levels are one of the key tools doctors use to monitor myeloma — so detecting changes is actually the system working as it should.
M protein is an abnormal protein made by cancerous plasma Show Full Answer
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