gammopathy
Noun: A medical condition characterized by an abnormal production or level of immunoglobulins (antibodies) in the blood serum. It involves a disturbance in the synthesis of these proteins, which are part of the body's immune system.
The term is used in medical contexts to describe a category of disorders involving the plasma cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies. It is a broad term for conditions where there is an excessive or abnormal amount of a specific type of immunoglobulin.
- The patient's blood tests revealed a gammopathy, prompting further investigation.
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a common, often benign condition.
- The study focused on the progression from a benign gammopathy to a more serious plasma cell disorder.
- Monoclonal gammopathy: A condition where a single clone of plasma cells produces an identical (monoclonal) antibody. This is the most common type of gammopathy discussed clinically.
- Polyclonal gammopathy: A condition where many different clones of plasma cells produce a variety of antibodies, often in response to chronic infection or inflammation.
- Gammopathies (plural noun): The plural form, referring to multiple instances or types of these disorders.
- Immunoglobulinopathy: A less common synonym emphasizing the disorder of immunoglobulins.
- Paraproteinemia: A related term referring to the presence of an abnormal protein (paraprotein) in the blood, which is a hallmark of many gammopathies.
- Immunoglobulin disorder
- Dysglobulinemia (a more general term for abnormal serum globulins)
Gammopathy is not a specific disease but an umbrella term. Diagnosis typically involves serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) to identify the abnormal protein pattern. It is crucial to distinguish between benign conditions like MGUS and malignant ones like multiple myeloma.
-
a disturbance in the synthesis of immunoglobulins; proteins having antibody activity increase greatly in the blood
