Does anyone else have MGUS?

Posted by mjlandin @mjlandin, Jun 4, 2022

I was diagnosed with MGUS last October and although I've done a lot of research, I feel there's still so much I don't know. Does anyone else have MGUS?

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ea1 | @ea1 | Jun 5, 2022

Hi @mjlandin
I was diagnosed with MGUS last July via standard tests related to Neuropathy.
M-Spike on serum electrophoresis of 0.2 and IgG kappa but with normal hemoglobin and normal serum free light chain ratio. I will continue to have blood tests every 6 months per my Hematologist. About 5% of adults over 65 have MGUS per Mayo Clinic study and only about 1% per year will progress to MM. I don’t worry about this condition at the moment since there is nothing that can be done to treat it or reduce the odds to migrate to SMM or MM.

Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Jun 4, 2022

@mjlandin Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

There are several discussions here in the Blood Cancer & Disorder group that speak about MGUS:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mgus-and-quite-high-free-kappa-light-chain-and-kappa-lambda-ratio/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/multiple-myeloma-299aae/

From the Mayo Clinic website is this information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mgus/symptoms-causes/syc-20352362

From the International Myeloma Foundation is this very informative article: https://www.myeloma.org/what-are-mgus-smm-mm

For my case, I was diagnosed with MGUS thanks to an observant nephrologist [kidney disease unrelated to MGUS]. It then advanced to smoldering multiple myeloma, in a short time, which is very unusual, and in a year advanced to multiple myeloma, again unusual. I will say my health journey has never been normal, so why should I stop now? The vast majority of people live for years with MGUS and no further complications, going through quarterly or semi-annual bloodwork for monitoring values.

Feel free to ask away!
Ginger