Your blood tests can tell your doctor or nurse:
- If your multiple myeloma is under control
- How multiple myeloma is affecting your body
- Why you may be feeling certain symptoms
- How treatment is affecting your body
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Understanding Your Blood Tests
People living with multiple myeloma will have their blood tested often.
Your doctor or nurse will need to test your blood on a regular schedule to see exactly how multiple myeloma affects you.
Multiple myeloma and blood tests
Testing your blood can tell you and your doctor if you have the right amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets:
- Red blood cells carry oxygen to every part of your body
- White blood cells help fight infections
- Platelets help stop bleeding
Other blood tests can determine if your bones may be getting weaker. Weakened bones are at greater risk of painful fractures and breaks.
Another important blood test can tell if your body is making large amounts of something called monoclonal protein, or M-protein. M-protein is a type of abnormal antibody that is made by myeloma cells.
Why you may need blood tests
Below is a list of some common and key blood tests you may have to undergo:
Blood test
Why you may need this test
Complete blood count (CBC)
Measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood
Chemistry/metabolic panel
Checks the level of certain substances such as calcium, serum creatinine, and liver enzymes. The results may show how multiple myeloma is affecting your bones, heart, kidneys, and liver
Immunoglobulin levels
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by counting abnormal antibodies
Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP)
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by measuring the abnormal monoclonal protein (M-protein) in the blood
Immunofixation
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by identifying the types of M-protein in the blood
Serum free light chain assay
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by measuring immunoglobulin light chains
Blood test
Complete blood count (CBC)
Why you may need this test
Measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood
Blood test
Chemistry/metabolic panel
Why you may need this test
Checks the level of certain substances such as calcium, serum creatinine, and liver enzymes. The results may show how multiple myeloma is affecting your bones, heart, kidneys, and liver
Blood test
Immunoglobulin levels
Why you may need this test
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by counting abnormal antibodies
Blood test
Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP)
Why you may need this test
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by measuring the abnormal monoclonal protein (M-protein) in the blood
Blood test
Immunofixation
Why you may need this test
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by identifying the types of M-protein in the blood
Blood test
Serum free light chain assay
Why you may need this test
Helps to monitor multiple myeloma by measuring immunoglobulin light chains
Understanding the test results
Your blood test results may help explain why you have certain symptoms.
Test results
Symptoms
Low red blood cells
Fatigue or exhaustion, sometimes with weakness, pale skin, and dizziness
Low white blood cells
More infections than normal
Low platelets
Easily bruised, more bleeding than normal when cut or scraped
High blood calcium
Increased thirst, frequent urination, loss of appetite, constipation, tiredness, and sometimes confusion
Increased monoclonal protein (M-protein)
The blood thickens and becomes sticky, which causes shortness of breath, chest pain, and confusion
Test results
Low red blood cells
Symptoms
Fatigue or exhaustion, sometimes with weakness, pale skin, and dizziness
Test results
Low white blood cells
Symptoms
More infections than normal
Test results
Low platelets
Symptoms
Easily bruised, more bleeding than normal when cut or scraped
Test results
High blood calcium
Symptoms
Increased thirst, frequent urination, loss of appetite, constipation, tiredness, and sometimes confusion
Test results
Increased monoclonal protein (M-protein)
Symptoms
The blood thickens and becomes sticky, which causes shortness of breath, chest pain, and confusion
Always talk to your doctor or nurse about your blood tests. They can tell you more about your results and what they mean.
Related information
Understanding Your Lab Results
Use this tool to help you better understand your multiple myeloma lab test results.
Glossary of Multiple Myeloma Terms
Learn about all the different terms to help you better understand multiple myeloma.
How Multiple Myeloma Might Make You Feel
Understand common symptoms and how multiple myeloma might affect the body.
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