The Laboratory Diagnosis of Protein Abnormalities

Although the lifetime risk of multiple myeloma in the United States is only 0.76%, it represents 15% of all hematologic malignancies, being the most common hematologic malignancy in African Americans and the second most common in Caucasians (Wiencek et al., Contemporary practice in clinical chemistry. Academic Press, London, 2020). Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative changes to serum proteins are also present in many other conditions, including acute and chronic inflammation, hepatic cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, congenital immunodeficiencies, and secondary (acquired) immunodeficiencies. Important for the diagnosis of these disorders is the analysis of serum proteins by electrophoresis. Thus, a firm understanding of serum proteins in health and disease is important.