Diagnosed with SMM, SPB, or MGUS?
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MGUS Diagnosis- Reduce Risk of Multiple Myeloma
the risk of progression to a symptomatic disease. (MGUS diagnosis) progression risk is approximately 1% per year, and SMM has a risk of progression of 10% for the first 5 years which tapers off over time.
Hi David- Thanks for replying to my email. I received an MGUS diagnosis (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) last summer and I am now ready to fully commit as my MGUS is progressing.
I am just not sure how to put it all together…the diet, supplements, etc….especially the supplements. Is there list of the supplements that you take, the dosages and the times?
- My M spike (IGG/Kappa) went from 2.5 to 2.7 to 5.4 g/l.
- I have cramps and tingling in my toes and fingers and back pain.
- However, I had an MRI and CAT scan and they came back normal.
- My other blood work, including FLC is normal (although the FLC went up from my last blood work).
This is why I think that it is progressing. I am going to order the detox guide and the cannabis (this I am not familiar with at all).
Thanks, Dan
Hi Dan,
I received your order earlier today. Thanks. Several things.
I noticed that you live in France. Therefore your unit of measurement is grams per liter. In the U.S. the unit of measurement for this test is decagrams per liter. Your measurements are higher that what I am used to by a factor of ten. For example, an m-spike of 5.4 is full-blown multiple myeloma. An m-spike of .54 is tiny and barely a diagnosis of pre-myeloma.
Re your “cramps and tingling.” While MGUS is considered to be “asymptotic” aka symptom-free, there are many studies and reports of MGUS patients who experience a range of symptoms including the ones you mention.
When you say that your CAT and MRI scans are normal, I take this to mean that you have no bone involvement. This is great. What is your serum calcium?
Your freelight chains are normal. Excellent.
Re your statement that you believe your MGUS is progressing. Several things.
- I like to tell MGUS patients that I believe that they are in the MM sweet spot. By this I mean that they do NOT have cancer, yet they have reason to detox, eat nutritiously, exercise regularly, supplement, etc. We all often need a push to live cleanly, healthfully…
- Best case scenario is that you will live with pre-MM for the rest of your life. BTW, how old are you? Your clean living will also reduce your risk of a host of other chronic diseases.
- The worst case scenario is that your MGUS progresses to full-blown MM. This diagnosis of MM will be early stage MM with a much better prognosis than stage 2 or 3.
By living an anti-MM lifestyle as you are via anti-angiogenic nutrition, supplementation, detox, lifestyle, etc. you are “pre-habilitating.” Studies confirm that by doing this you will respond better, heal faster, etc. to any/all multiple myeloma therapies that you may undergo.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks and hang in there,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
- Can MGUS Patient Predict Progression to Multiple Myeloma?
- Multiple Myeloma Diet- Before, During, After Therapy
- Cancer Coaching Testimonials- PeopleBeatingCancer
Asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathies.
“Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) represent the earlier phases of plasma cell dyscrasias. Their definition is based on absence of end-organ damage with presence of a malignant clone that grows in the bone marrow.
They share, as a common feature, the risk of progression to a symptomatic disease. MGUS progression risk is approximately 1% per year, and SMM has a risk of progression of 10% for the first 5 years which tapers off over time.
The main purpose of identification of these earlier phases of the plasma cell dyscrasia was to identify patients who do not warrant treatment with chemotherapy, in whom the risk of treatment outweighs the benefit.
Over the years, the definitions have not been modified to incorporate developments in imaging (magnetic resonance or positron emission and computed tomography), or genomics to identify patients at highest risk of progression within 2 years, where wait and watch might not be an appropriate option.
In the absence of such definition, patients who have only a 50% chance of progression within 2 years are being offered therapy, which might also not be an optimal approach.
In this review, we provide an overview of the definition, current prognostic factors, and risk stratifications in asymptomatic gammopathies, and discuss clinical trial outcomes in high-risk SMM.”