A blog reader, thank you!, sent me the link to an online educational resource with continuously updated information on serum free light chain and Hevylite™ analysis set up and maintained by a Binding Site scientific team: http://www.wikilite.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Its focus is on serum free light chains in multiple myeloma…impressive, really impressive. Ah, and yes, I agree, it’s overwhelming, I myself am still going through it (and, at this rate, it will take me about 10 years to finish!)…but you can narrow down your search by clicking on “Contents” (on the left). For instance, Chapter 30 is devoted to questions and answers. Have a look…
Grazie! for putting this on the Blog — a fantastic amount of information! Gerry
Margaret,
Indeed an amazing resource. What I eventually found in it (Chapters 4 and 9 for example) was that in some people FLCs polymerise (i.e. form larger aggregates) and that can lead to an overestimation of the level by as much as 10x. What’s more, the polymers are not thought to cause any damage. All this helps to explain why in individuals like me, the actual number looks horrendous (kappa 350-450mg/L) but nothing shows in the urine, and there is no sign of any damage. There is no doubt the statistics show that high FLCs are associated with increased likeihood of progression etc; however, they are but statistics and to quote Stephen J Gould ‘the median is not the message’. My FLCs have been at that level ever since diagnosis of SMM 2 years ago and nothing has shifted or caused me any problems (other than mental anxiety!). Only time will tell but I like to think of them as ‘friendly light chains’ for now at least.
Regards