Multiple Myeloma (MM)
A cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells
MM patients can be classified according to their monoclonal protein type, i.e. intact immunoglobulin MM (IIMM), light chain MM (LCMM) and nonsecretory MM (NSMM).
International Myeloma Working Group Guidelines recommend baseline Freelite serum free light chain (FLC) laboratory test results for all patients with MM to provide prognostic information. They are also recommended for monitoring of oligosecretory MM patients and IIMM patients (to detect relapse with free light chains only).
MM patients are thought to have multiple distinct tumour clones that may express intact immunoglobulin, FLCs, both, or rarely, neither. Different clones may be present at diagnosis and/or evolve during the course of disease. Monitoring patients with Freelite provides information on these changing clones.