Paraproteinemia

Paraproteinemia (also known as "monoclonal gammopathy") is the presence of excessive amounts of a single monoclonal gammaglobulin (in this case denominated "paraprotein") in the blood. It denotes an underlying immunoproliferative disorder.

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Types

Paraproteinaemias may be categorised according to the type of monoclonal protein found in blood:

• Light chains ("Bence Jones protein") only;
• Heavy chains only;
• Whole immunoglobulins (albeit often with an abnormal light / heavy chain ratio). In this case, the paraprotein goes under the name of "M-protein" ("M" for monoclonal). If immunoglobulins tend to precipitate within blood vessels with cold, that phenomenon takes the name of cryoglobulinaemia.

Possible causes

• Leukaemias and lymphomas of various types.
• Myeloma
• Waldenström macroglobulinemia (IgM only)
• Amyloidosis (either light or heavy chains only)

If no cause is identified, the term "monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance" is used.