Overview of the Kidney & Plasma Cell Disorders

Monoclonal free light chains (FLCs) are often toxic to the kidney, and can cause a range of diseases including cast nephropathy, AL amyloidosis and light chain deposition disease (LCDD).

90% of renal failure in Multiple Myeloma (MM) is due to Cast Nephropathy and is considered a medical emergency. Early treatment increases chances of renal recovery.

In MM up to 40% of newly diagnosed patients have renal impairment, 3.5% presenting with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis, often due to cast nephropathy.

AL amyloidosis is a disorder characterised by the deposition of an excess of FLCs as amyloid fibrils in a range of organs including the kidneys.

In LCDD, monoclonal FLCs are precipitated on basement membranes in the kidneys, leading to renal failure.

Patients presenting with severe AKI of unknown cause, or chronic kidney disease with proteinuria, and/or declining kidney function, should be screened for monoclonal gammopathy using Freelite in combination with other laboratory tests.

Rapid diagnosis combined with early treatment improves patient outcomes.