Walsh & Hoyt: Multiple Myeloma, Plasmacytomas, and Related Disorders (Monoclonal Gammopathies)

Multiple myeloma and its variants, Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia, the heavy chain diseases (HCDs), and the primary and myeloma/macroglobulinemia forms of generalized (systemic) amyloidosis, share two major features. The first is an uncontrolled proliferation of the B-lymphocyte/plasma cell series, and the second is the production of an excessive amount of homogenous immunoglobulin (Ig) or subunit by these cells. The type of protein produced serves as a convenient way to classify these disorders (e.g., IgG, IgA, IgD, IgE, or IgM myeloma) often are called monoclonal gammopathies.