The research is moving faster than the oncologists are ready to accept. MRD is slowly being accepted as a solid indicator of myeloma remission, but some doctors are not ready for it yet. Actually, there is a push to use MRD as a tool to monitor drug trials and criteria for FDA drug approval. So, things will improve very soon.

Having no m spike. Having a negative immunofixation and serum protein electrophoresis, having normal light chains and ratio, having a normal CBC and complete metabolic panel are pretty good signs your myeloma is behaving. Also a normal beta 2 microglobulin💕 A bone marrow biopsy still gives the most accurate results. The peripheral blood samples are not as accurate. At least not for me💗

Barb5,
My Oncologist said it’s too early to know if it will be accurate, so she still recommends BMB. I think it’s a personal decision.
Paula 🌹

My myeloma specialist says no to the clonoSEQ test. He feels it can give false sense of security, or opposite effect of bringing you down even when you are doing well. Thanks

Instead of a BMB, get a clonoSEQ blood based test. It can very accurately report cells per million without a BMB. You do need to have an original BMB prior to treatment - there will be an archive of it for them to access.

Otherwise, you can have no MSike and perfect Labs but still have MM activity, though probably very low, that the blood sample clonoSEQ test can find.