Great question! Understanding how IgG lambda myeloma and Bence Jones proteins connect can really help make sense of test results and what doctors are monitoring.
In IgG lambda myeloma, the cancerous plasma cells produce abnormal antibodies made up of IgG heavy chains paired with lambda light chains. Normally, these two Show Full Answer
Great question! Understanding how IgG lambda myeloma and Bence Jones proteins connect can really help make sense of test results and what doctors are monitoring.
In IgG lambda myeloma, the cancerous plasma cells produce abnormal antibodies made up of IgG heavy chains paired with lambda light chains. Normally, these two chain types link together to form the full M protein. Here's where Bence Jones proteins come in:
- Sometimes the plasma cells produce more light chains (lambda, in this case) than can be paired with heavy chains
- These unpaired, "free" lambda light chains spill into the bloodstream and pass into the urine
- These free light chains in the urine are what are known as Bence Jones proteins
So in IgG lambda myeloma, the M protein is the full IgG antibody, while Bence Jones proteins represent the excess free lambda light chains that couldn't pair up.
Doctors monitor both because they each give useful information about how active the myeloma is and how well treatment is working. A serum free light chain test measures these in the blood, while urine tests can detect Bence Jones proteins directly.
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