Open AccessMonoclonal free light chains in urine and their significance in clinical diagnostics: Are they really tumor markers?
Author(s) -
Végh Zsuzsa,
Ottó Szabolcs,
Eckhardt Sándor
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.1860040610
Subject(s) - bence jones protein , immunoglobulin light chain , monoclonal , plasma cell dyscrasia , immunofixation , proteinuria , medicine , pathology , monoclonal antibody , antibody , immunology , kidney
Bence Jones proteins (monoclonal free light chains of immunoglobulins) are the earliest known biological markers of malignant cell dyscrasia; Bence Jones proteinuria is also present in many types of B cell‐related neoplasms. Sometimes, it may also occur in Hodgkin's disease. In some cases, benign monoclonal gammopathy was found to be associated nontumorous diseases as well. The type of monoclonal light chain, the degree of polymerization, and the isoelectric point of the molecule may affect the course of the disease. Urine samples from 637 patients with true or suspected lymphoproliferative diseases were investigated over a 2‐yr period by different immunochemical methods. Bence Jones proteinuria was identified in 71 cases by isoelectric focusing combined with immunofixation, while the pathological protein was detected only in 63 cases by conventional methods. Bence Jones proteins can be detected by this new method at a level below the sensitivity of conventional procedures. Bence Jones proteins in the urine may signal a malignant tumor or malignant transformation of an earlier disease. The early detection of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains in the urine may be important in clinical diagnosis, therapy, and follow‐up.