Can the analytical sensitivity of urine BJP analysis be improved?

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Can the analytical sensitivity of the urine protein electrophoresis method be improved by incorporating the use of light chain anti-sera into the initial screening test for Bence Jones Protein?

• IRAS ID

  262821

• Contact name

  Garry McDowell

• Contact email

  g.mcdowell@mmu.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Manchester Metropolitan University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 4 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Multiple myeloma is a haematological cancer derived from the bone marrow which breaks down bone and affects the healthy blood cell production. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma is by a multidisciplinary approach, the focus here is screening methods in biochemistry looking for monoclonal proteins.
  Studies show that 15-20% of those with multiple myeloma secrete light chains only, known as light-chain multiple myeloma. However, a recent audit performed within Clinical Biochemistry at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has not shown to pick up this level of incidence. One possible reason for a lower than expected prevalence is that one of the screening methods for multiple myeloma, urine electrophoresis to detect Bence Jones protein (BJP) is not appropriately analytically sensitive enough to identify all cases of light-chain multiple myeloma. The Gold Standard method for the detection of Bence Jones protein is urine immunofixation (IF), however, this is not a feasible candidate for a first line screening test due to time and cost pressures.

  The aim of this study is to determine whether the analytical sensitivity of urine electrophoresis for BJP could be improved thereby increasing the detection rate of free light chain multiple myeloma. It is also hoped that alternative method, direct immunofixation will identify cases of generalised proteinuria and reduce the number of inappropriate urine immunofixation requests.

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  20/NW/0022

• Date of REC Opinion

  13 Jan 2020

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion