Childhood Vaccinations - slight light chain increases?

Hi Janien.     Sorry to hear husband concerns on blood tests     I have MM   17 months post stem cell transplant.  Just come off Lenolidamide as I have had severe skin rash.       I would not have thought the  catch up inoculations would be the cause.    I finished my course about 2 months ago and had the normal flu type symptoms with some of them      Foot can be very painful and possibly the lower level of immunity has made it worse.   I am sure the gout is being treated ?     And perhaps asking for frequent blood checks to keep on track with the results.  How often are his appointments with the hematologist?       Kevin  

I thought I had heard of this before, so I asked ChatGPT.

'Yes, vaccinations can cause a slight elevation in light chains in patients with multiple myeloma, but the context is important.

Why it happens:

Vaccinations stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. In multiple myeloma or related plasma cell disorders (like MGUS or smoldering myeloma), the immune system is already dysregulated. When stimulated (e.g., by vaccines or infections), it can cause:

Polyclonal activation of plasma cells — normal immune response, leading to increased production of light chains.

Transient increases in both kappa and lambda light chains, often without affecting the kappa/lambda ratio significantly.

In some cases, monoclonal plasma cells may also respond to immune stimulation, especially in early or smoldering disease.

Important considerations:

Magnitude of increase: If the increase in free light chains is mild and symmetrical (both kappa and lambda go up), it's likely a benign polyclonal response to the vaccine.

Timing: Elevations typically occur within days to a few weeks after vaccination.

Ratio: A stable kappa/lambda ratio is a reassuring sign; significant ratio shifts may suggest disease activity and should be evaluated further.

Clinical practice:

Doctors monitoring myeloma often repeat free light chain tests after a few weeks if a recent vaccination or infection might have affected results, to see if levels normalize.

Summary:

Yes, slight increases in light chains after vaccination can occur in myeloma patients due to immune activation. It's usually not a sign of progression, but results should be interpreted in clinical context, especially alongside the kappa/lambda ratio and other markers (like M-protein, symptoms, or imaging)."