What Could This Mean? Any help Appreciated

Dex is back in the mix.  My local onc feels that my numbers are trending upwards so he suggested we try adding some dex to see what happens and increase my velcade dosing back to once a week.  I agreed for now since I see my IgG numbers have increased by 50%. My IgG  from Labcorp was  876 mg/dl when I switched to a maintenance regime in March 2014. According to Labcorp my IgG was 1277 mg/dl at my latest draw on 1/30/15.

My IgG numbers have increased according to my myeloma specialist's hospital lab too from 857 mg/dl back in March 2014 to 1158 mg/dl on 1/6/15 still within the normal range but almost a 50% increase. So now I need to find the answer to my question.  Is this showing progressive disease.

I plan on asking my myeloma specialist buddies in the next few days about my IgG numbers.  Could they have increased by 50% because my immune system is finally recovering?  The 50 % increase still keeps me in the normal range. Maybe this is a good thing and not a bad thing. It's funny I am not worried or concerned.  The last time I was given this news I was devastated.

I am not sure what can explain my lack of emotion.  I guess part of it comes from the fact that my myeloma specialist believes my disease is stable not trending upwards. According to the test results from his hospital lab my m-pike is stable. Actually my m-spike was down a bit from July according to the numbers at the hospital  lab.( 0.39 g/dl in July 2014 to 0.36 g/dl  in January 2015). I get my labs drawn there every six  months.

On the other hand my monthly m-spike results from LabCorp are showing an upward trend.  I still haven't received this months results.  It takes longer to get the m-spike then the IgG readings. But from March 2014 when I switched my Velcade dosing to every other week and dropped the dex  until January 2015 my m-spike increased from 0.5 g/dl to 0.7g/dl.  I'm anxiously awaiting my results from this month to see if it still trending upwards. Something else to add to our confusion...the variability between labs.


My Kappa-Lamba freelite ratio has been somewhat normal according to BOTH labs.
Top of Form

Name
Standard Range
FREE KAPPA SERUM
3.30-19.40 mg/l
FREE KAPPA/LAMBDA RAT.
0.260-1.650
FREE LAMBDA SERUM
5.71-26.30 mg/l
11/15/12
0.50
0.980
0.51
3/14/13
0.72
1.108
0.65
6/14/13
0.65
1.250
0.52
7/9/13
13.41
29.800
0.45
8/14/13
0.92
1.150
0.80
10/17/13
<0.42
0.075
5.60
1/16/14
0.86
1.024
0.84
2/26/14
0.76
0.130
5.85
7/8/14
5.70
0.828
6.88
1/6/15
7.16
1.017
7.04

Bottom of FoSo now I have my homework to do.  I guess you already figured out it was a dex day.  I'm rambling in print as well as in person.
 
BTW my husband was more upset then I when he heard dex is back, but I'll leave the dex stories for another day.
 
 
 
 

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