Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma (SMM): a practical guide to management

Abstract

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smoldering multiple myeloma are precursor conditions of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). Diagnostic principles are aimed at excluding MM requiring therapy, other conditions associated with paraproteins that may require different management, and risk stratifying patients for the purposes of tailored follow-up and investigation. The International Myeloma Working Group have recently published a revised definition of MM, which singles out a small group of patients with smoldering multiple myeloma who are at very high risk of progression and organ damage; such patients are now included under the definition of MM and recommended to start anti-myeloma treatment. Furthermore, the recently published National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guideline recommends cross-sectional imaging techniques in place of skeletal survey. These recent recommendations are discussed, and practical guidance for investigation and management are presented.

Keywords: gammopathy; myeloma; paraprotein; plasma cells; smoldering.