MGUS usually causes no problems. But sometimes it can progress to more-serious diseases, including some forms of blood cancer. If you have high amounts of this protein in your blood, it's important to have regular checkups so that you can get earlier treatment if it does progress. If there's no disease progression, MGUS doesn't require treatment. People with monoclonal gammopathy generally don't experience signs or symptoms.
Some people may experience a rash or nerve problems, such as numbness or tingling. MGUS is usually detected by chance when you have a blood test for another condition. The precise cause of MGUS isn't known. Genetic changes and environmental triggers appear to play a role. Factors that increase your risk of developing MGUS include:. Other complications associated with MGUS include bone fractures, blood clots and kidney problems. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
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While most people with MGUS will notice no effect on their general health, a small number of patients will go on to develop myeloma. MGUS does not cause any symptoms and is usually diagnosed incidentally when tests are performed to investigate other problems. It does not require any treatment. In MGUS, abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow release an abnormal protein, known as paraprotein. While most MGUS patients have a stable condition which has no effect on their general health, a small proportion of patients will go on to develop a cancer called myeloma.
MGUS is not associated with any symptoms, so the abnormal protein is usually discovered when tests are being performed to rule out other health issues. Once the abnormal protein is discovered, it is important to make sure that it is not due to a more serious diagnosis such as myeloma, and so further tests are likely to be carried out.
Current guidance recommends that MGUS is actively monitored but not treated. MGUS patients are usually checked every months for the first year following diagnosis. The checks can then be reduced to every months as long as no symptoms develop. Always enabled, these cookies are required for the website to work properly, such as when you view videos or add items to the shopping cart.
To help us understand how you use our website and tailor the site to meet your needs, we use analytics cookies. We use advertising cookies to deliver highly relevant advertisements to our audiences, through platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. These cookies are needed for certain elements of our website to work properly, although it will generally work without these. Key points Monoclonal gammopathies are conditions in which abnormal proteins are found in the blood. The most common condition linked with these abnormal proteins is MGUS.
Diagnosis is often done with a lab test called electrophoresis. MGUS may lead to a more serious condition so checkups are needed throughout your life to find problems as early as possible. Next steps Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider: Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
Before your visit, write down questions you want answered. Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you. At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests.
Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you. Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are. Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways. Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean. Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure. If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
Know how to contact your provider if you have questions.
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