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What to think when only free light chain ratio is abnormally high?
I went to a hemotologist because I had a blood clot and needed to know if I needed to take a blood thinner forever. I am a 68 year old female and when blood work came back, it said my free light chain ratio was 101.55, kappa light chain was 89.36 and the spep test said "a small amount of free kappa monoclonal protein (too small to quantitate) is present." I had never heard of these tests and was surprised something was listed as abnormal. I have no symptoms and all other blood work was normal. I am scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy. When only a ratio if high, and nothing else is abnormal, is this something to be concerned about or is it a monitor and watch thing?
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@georgiagurl I concur with @wesleym. Starting treatment is a decision best weighed using all the diagnostic information and hearing about the merits of treatment as well as watchful waiting.
I find waiting for test results nearly intolerable so hugs. I’m so glad you are getting a second opinion as you really have not yet received a first from your actual physician.
Deferring to a nurse practitioner for such a weighty discussion may be simply convenience, but that would not sit well with me (even though my nurse practitioner has a MUCH better bedside manner than my Hem/onc doc. 😉).
Do advocate for yourself and get the information you require in order to make this weighty decision.
Will you let me know how this goes for you?
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3 Reactions@georgiagurl I am going to weigh in here and agree with @wesleym and @pmm that an actual doctor visit with diagnostic results are in order.
I will however say that treatment, if I am reading those numbers correctly (I am not an MD) cannot wait forever.
I say this because of the recent event with high light chains and my husbands kidneys.
I would add that a call to the current doctors office to find out if this appointment is with the doctor might be helpful.
This in addition to a second opinion at the cancer center.
I know this is a crazy ride but try to stay in the fight until you get all the results you need. It is amazing how much better we felt once we knew all the particulars of my husbands myeloma, and the plan moving forward.
Do you have your appointment yet at the cancer center?
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2 Reactions@pmm I will post here and let you know how it goes. Thank you for posting here. I see that you are a volunteer mentor; I think that is awesome.
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1 Reaction@auntieoakley I see that you are also a volunteer mentor and that is an awesome thing for you to do. I don't have my appt yet at the cancer center. They are supposed to call me by today to set up. I agree the light chains are very high and that they can impact the kidneys but my egfr is at 76 so they are above the concerning number of 60. I keep thinking that since I only have one of the R-ISS myeloma events that I must be smoldering mm (which the Bone Marrow pathologist said in his report). I also know there is much debate over when a smm patient should begin treatment. I think the second opinion at the Cancer center should help weigh the importance of each test. As an aside, I worked in the insurance industry for over 27 years and I thought we had a million acronyms. But the acronyms I have encountered in researching this disease far surpasses my old industry!
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