[Evaluation of the usefulness of measuring the serum and urine levels of light chain immunoglobulins in multiple myeloma and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia]

Abstract

Quantitative determinations were carried out of light immunoglobulin chains by the method of ring precipitation in the serum and urine of 117 patients with plasmocytic myeloma and 16 with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. The method was found useful for the identification of the light chain of the monoclonal proteins of IgG, and IgD classes. In the case of the lambda-type light chain disease the method is helpful in the identification of the M-component of the serum. Quantitative determination of light chains of immunoglobulins by ring precipitation is not essentially superior to other immunological and electrophoretic methods of protein analysis in monitoring treatment of cases of this myeloma.