Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Multiple Myeloma in the Practice of the General Practitioner

Abstract

Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignancy of hematopoietic tissue characterized by lesions of the bone marrow, presence of multiple destructive processes within bone tissue, kidney damage, and infectious complications. Up to 60 % cases of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma debut from monoclonal gammopathy.Monoclonal gammopathies are a large group of diseases whose distinctive feature is the secretion of pathologic immunoglobulins called monoclonal proteins (synthesized in abundant quantities immunoglobulins of one class or/and type whose chemical structure, molecular mass, and immunological features have been changed). Most often monoclonal protein is a biomarker of clonal cell proliferation. Besides plasma cell tumors paraprotein secretion is often common for other lymphoproliferative diseases, some kidney diseases, systemic diseases of connective tissue, primary amyloidosis, solid tumors, liver lesions, sarcoidosis, Gaucher disease, Sjogren syndrome, cold agglutinin diseases, and some meurologic pathologies.The article presents the main clinical and pathologic features of monoclonal gammopathy and multiple myeloma and describes clinical cases indicative of complicated diagnosis of multiple myeloma and the necessity for continuous monitoring of patients with monoclonal gammopathy.