Once you’ve gone through the treatment, physicians will watch your M protein levels and symptoms to determine your body’s response to the treatment.
READ: What To Do When Your Multiple Myeloma Treatment Stops Working
The M protein is the abnormal proteins of malignant plasma cells that could cause tumors, kidney damage and more. In some cases, according to MMRF, the malignant cells could cause a single tumor known as solitary plasmacytoma. If multiple tumors develop, the result is multiple myeloma.
Decoding Your Body’s Treatment Response
Here is the range of responses that determine if your treatment is working well in your body.
The disease is progressive if there is more than a 25 percent increase in M protein levels, 25 percent increase of plasma cells percentage in the bone marrow and new bone lesions or size increase in existing legions.
A minimal response shows a 25 to 49 percent decrease in M protein.
READ: What Happens After Multiple Myeloma Treatment?
When a physician talks about a very good partial response, that means the M protein is no longer detectable in blood and urine but there was a positive immunofixation test.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, a molecular complete response indicates no detectable M protein in blood and urine, a negative immunofixation text and less than 5 percent of plasma cells percentage in the bone marrow.
According to MMRF, multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer. It is considered incurable, but very treatable with each advancement in cancer research.