How Are MGUS and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma Monitored?
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/ Updated February 11th, 2022

How Are MGUS and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma Monitored?

Medically Reviewed: Dr. Doris Hansen Written by Joe Kerwin
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Tracking the Pre-Cancerous Phases of Multiple Myeloma

  • People with MGUS and smoldering multiple myeloma need to be monitored so that doctors can know if and when their conditions develop into active multiple myeloma.
  • While healthy plasma cells can produce different types of antibodies to fight different kinds of infections, myeloma cells only produce one kind of antibody.
  • In order to track how many cancerous cells are in a person’s bone marrow, doctors can use the abnormal proteins that they secrete into the bloodstream as a surrogate.
As cancerous plasma cells reproduce, they secrete proteins that can be detected in the bloodstream. Monitoring people with MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma, or multiple myeloma involves tracking these abnormal proteins.

RELATED: Making a Multiple Myeloma Treatment Plan

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MGUS is the presence of a single abnormal protein without the presence of symptoms. Smoldering multiple myeloma is more severe, but it is still asymptomatic and precancerous. People with either of these conditions should be monitored for progression toward active multiple myeloma.

How Healthy Plasma Cells Work

Healthy plasma cells produce antibodies. Speaking with SurvivorNet, Dr. Matthew Ulrickson pointed out that healthy plasma cells need to be able to adjust the kinds of antibodies they produce to fight different infections.

"Since our body doesn’t know all of the various infections we’re going to be exposed to at the time we’re born," he explained, "The body has developed the ability to change the DNA and make different antibodies."

RELATED: Managing the Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma

This ability to adapt and produce different kinds of antibodies is essential to the function of healthy plasma cells.

Monitoring Multiple Myeloma Cells

Multiple myeloma cells behave differentlyall the multiple myeloma cells in a person's body produce the same type of antibody. This means that the reproduction of multiple myeloma cells can be estimated and monitored based on these antibodies.

"Over time, seeing these values change can help us know how quickly the multiple myeloma cells are growing and dividing, whether they’re staying stable and help predict that need for starting treatment," Dr. Ulrickson told SurvivorNet.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Joe Kerwin is a writer and researcher at SurvivorNet, based in New York City. Read More

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