Dear friends on this forum

Unfortunately I can’t write in German but I hope somebody could help clearing some doubts.

A routine electrophoresis showed an extra gradient of 0.4% and a weight of 0.3 g/L in November
Total level gamma of 8,3 g/L and 11%

Immunifixation in March instead shows a suspect IGG or IGM Kappa monoclonal gammopathy but it reads “can’t confirm it”
Below the weight of the various IGA, IGG and IGM sum up to 12 g/l (which is in the reference range)

My emathologist visits is in 3 weeks and I am desperate.
Despite reassurances that levels aren’t worrying I can’t understand the indeterminate response of the immunofixation as well as a total sum of weight IGG + IGA + IGM quite superior than the gamma level in the immuniphoresis at 4 months distance.
Or are those values not to be compared.

Any help will be welcome.
Thanks
Marco

Hi Marco!
I think, there is absolutely no reason to be worried - albeit the random values you give are somewhat confusing to me. If your gamma of 8.3 g/L makes up 11% of your blood serum total protein, which I assume is meant, your total protein should read 75 or 76, which is just fine.
The gamma fraction and the sum IgG, IgM, and Iga are not necessarily to be compared, but of course there is a relation. Some of the immunoglobulins may be found in the beta fractions!
Also please keep in mind that there is always a certain uncertainty in measurements, even within the same lab.
Could you give us a more detailed list of your November + recent findings, each with reference values given?
Especially useful: Hb hemoglobin, creatinine, calcium, total protein level. Perhaps you can also provide CRP, LDH, and B2M (beta-2-microglobulin), if available.
And last, even if you have a gammopathy, it seems to be not too distinct (as far as I understand), and in such a case it is hard to determine (a.f.a.Ik.). So don't worry - maybe only further testing is needed. And a very last word: my antibodies sum up to 36 g/L, three times your total, and I still have "only" MGUS. Nick

Hello Nick and thanks a lot for your reply
I don’t understand your calculation of protein.
In my lab results it reads that the gamma area is 11,5% for a weight of 8,3 g/l

The immunofixation was fine 4 months later and gave an undetermined results as in my first post.
Below, it was reported the weight of each Group: IGG, IGA and IGM. All single values considered within range but if summed up, more than the result in the previous tests.

None of the values you asked about was out of the range in both exams.
Thanks, I am new to all this and afraid and confused.

Marco

All that sounds fine to me.
(I am not used to the given values in form of "weights".)
And I don't know whether there was perhaps an error in the recent immunofixation, or it was just too small to be determined without doubt?
I know it's hard, but please relax, you surely are in no immediate danger!

Danke, thanks.

I find it very hard to be in this undefined new phases
I wonder if life will ever feel the same.

I know for what I could read that once an M, spike is found (even if small in my case) that’s not something that goes away and that’s your new life.

Again, sorry for not being able to write in German on a German Forum...

The M spike might not go away, but it might well remain stable for the rest of your life!