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Eric Low, Chief Executive of Myeloma UK, the only organisation dealing exclusively with myeloma and its related disorders in the UK, said: "The publication of IMWG guidelines on the role of the FLC assay in myeloma and other plasma cell disorders is very welcome and represents a significant endorsement for a test which has so many clinical and prognostic positives for patients. I hope that now, this test will be widely used in hospitals throughout the UK."
The consensus guidelines, drawn up by a worldwide group of specialists in MM, set out four major indications for use of Freelite in the diagnosis and management of MM and related PCD:
- In the context of screening, Freelite should be used in
combination with serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and serum
immunofixation (IFE) to yield high sensitivity. This obviates the need
for analysis of 24-hour urine samples and eliminates the associated
patient compliance issues. The single exception to this is when there
is a suspicion of AL amyloidosis, in which case a 24-hour urine sample
should be run in addition to the serum assays;
- The baseline serum FLC measurement can provide important prognostic
information in virtually every PCD. Therefore, all patients -
including those with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance
(MGUS) and asymptomatic MM (smouldering MM) patients - should have
this test at the point of diagnosis;
- Freelite allows for quantitative monitoring of patients:
- in AL amyloidosis patients, serial serum FLC measurements are more
accurate and sensitive than SPE and IFE alone;.
- in non-secretory MM patients, serial serum FLC measurements reduce the
need for
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