A member asked:

What cause platelets&wbc to keep going up over time platelets are now over 600,000 and con rising also kappa&lamda both high always but ratio normal.

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Dimitri Novitzky answered

Specializes in Thoracic Surgery

High plts, kappa/lam: Serum free light chain testing and a kappa/lambda ratio is ordered along with a protein electrophoresis test when someone has signs and symptoms that a health practitioner suspects are related to a plasma cell disorder. These symptoms will vary from person to person and tend to worsen over time. They involve various parts of the body and may include: • Bones—bone pain, soft spots, and fractures due to proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow • Blood—anemia and frequent infections due to low levels of red and white blood cells; plasma cells crowd out the other types of cells in the bone marrow, leading to a decrease of RBCs and WBCs. • Kidneys—production of abnormal amounts of light chains can lead to increased light chains in the urine (Bence-Jones protein); these proteins can lodge or deposit in the kidneys, causing damage. A health practitioner may also order this test when someone has signs and symptoms associated with primary amyloidosis. Amyloidosis develops when abnormal proteins build up in organs or tissue, particularly the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system. In primary amyloidosis, the proteins are free light chains. Depending on the organs affected, the person may have a variety of symptoms such as: • Swelling of ankles and legs • Weakness, fatigue • Numbness, weakness or tingling of the arms and legs • Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing • An irregular heartbeat • Easy bruising • Purple patches around the eyes (so-called raccoon's eyes) • Tongue swelling When a light chain disorder is diagnosed, the test may be ordered periodically to monitor the condition and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. I do note on your CBC that you have high platlets, White Cells and your absolute Neutrophil count is high. Have you had any recent illness - infections? Not a Dr. but those are not something that most multiple myeloma see. Generally those with multiple myeloma have issues with low white counts, neutrophil and platelets sometimes due to the treatments. Not sure your readings mean anything but those coupled with the high light chains (but normal) ratio appear to point to something other than multiple myeloma as a reason. In thrombocytosis (often called secondary or reactive thrombocytosis), another disease, condition or outside factor causes elevated blood platelets. About 35% of people with a high platelet count also have cancer — mostly lung, gastrointestinal, breast, ovarian or lymphoma, NHLBI reports. Sometimes a high blood platelet count is the first sign of cancer. Other conditions that can cause elevated blood platelets are: -Iron-deficiency anemia -Hemolytic anemia -Absence of a spleen -Inflammatory or infectious diseases, such as connective tissue disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and tuberculosis -Reactions to medicine Some conditions can lead to a high platelet count that lasts for only a short time, NHLBI reports, including: -Recovery from serious blood loss -Recovery from a very low platelet count caused by excessive alcohol use and lack of vitamin B12 or folate (folic acid) -Acute (short-term) infection or inflammation -Response to physical activity

Answered 5/26/2016

1.3k views

Thank

Related Questions