Diagnosis and Laboratory Follow-Up of Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Guidelines from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group

Authors

  • Ana Marta Pires Clinical Pathology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Vila Real. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9011-5818
  • João Pedro Barreto Clinical Pathology Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5175-844X
  • Joana Caetano Hemato-Oncology Unit. Fundação Champalimaud. Lisbon. & NOVA Medical School. NOVA University of Lisbon. Lisbon. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7509-9066
  • Maria José Soares Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde São João. Porto.
  • Catarina Geraldes Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Oncobiology and Hematology Laboratory. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Centro Académico Clínico de Coimbra. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8627-6187
  • Bruno Fernandes Clinical Pathology Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto.
  • Margarida Coucelo Molecular Hematology Laboratory. Clinical Hematology Service. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3426-6363
  • Sérgio Chacim Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Service. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6316-8789
  • Henrique Coelho Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Gaia e Espinho. Vila Nova de Gaia. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0909-9601
  • Cecília Correia Laboratorial Genetics Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4838-7756
  • Ana Paula Cruz Clinical Pathology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Gaia e Espinho. Vila Nova de Gaia.
  • Manuel Cunha Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Vila Real/Chaves.
  • Maria Rosário Cunha Clinical Pathology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra.
  • Nuno Cunha Clinical Pathology Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia de Coimbra Francisco Gentil. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0726-7843
  • Patrícia Ferraz Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Vila Real/Chaves.
  • José Guilherme Freitas Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde de Braga. Braga.
  • Rui Henrique Pathological Anatomy Department & Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Group. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC) & RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network). Porto. & Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute. Universidade do Porto. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3171-4666
  • Susana Lisboa Laboratorial Genetics Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9773-331X
  • Paulo Lúcio Hemato-Oncology Unit. Fundação Champalimaud. Lisbon. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0175-7534
  • Artur Paiva Operational Management Unit in Cytometry. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Coimbra Clinical and Biomedical Investigation Institute (iCBR). Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade do Coimbra. Coimbra. & Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra. Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Coimbra. Laboratório de Ciências Biomédicas. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6562-5859
  • Cláudia Pedrosa Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Santo António. Porto.
  • Inês Ramos Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Service. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6688-7466
  • Ana Bela Sarmento Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Oncobiology and Hematology Laboratory. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Centro Académico Clínico de Coimbra. Coimbra. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4142-4841
  • Patrícia Seabra Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Santo António. Porto.
  • Joana Sevilha Clinical Pathology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Médio Ave. Vila Nova de Famalicão.
  • Maria José Rego de Sousa NOVA Medical School. NOVA University of Lisbon. Lisboa. & Germano de Sousa Clinical Laboratory Center: Lisbon. Lisbon. & Faculty of Medicine. Catholic University of Portugal. Lisbon. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3518-815X
  • Sara Sousa Clinical Pathology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. Vila Real.
  • Teresa Sousa Clinical Pathology Department. Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil. Porto.
  • Márcio Tavares Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde Gaia e Espinho. Vila Nova de Gaia.
  • Fernanda Trigo Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde São João. Porto.
  • Rui Bergantim Hematology Service. São João Local Health Unit. Porto. & Cancer Drug Resistance Group. Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP). Universidade do Porto. Porto. & i3S - Institute for Research and Innovation in Health. Universidade do Porto. Porto. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7811-9509
  • Adriana Roque Clinical Hematology Department. Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra. Coimbra. & Physiology Institute. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Coimbra. Coimbra.
  • Cristina João Hemato-Oncology Unit. Fundação Champalimaud. Lisbon. & NOVA Medical School. NOVA University of Lisbon. Lisbon. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3978-766X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.22909

Keywords:

Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Multiple Myeloma/blood, Multiple Myeloma/diagnosis, Portugal, Practice Guidelines as Topic

Abstract

Multiple myeloma is a neoplasm of plasma cells that in most cases is associated with the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulins and can involve multiple organs. Its timely diagnosis is essential to limit or avoid irreversible damage and dysfunction of target organs. Appropriate initial stratification of patients allows for optimization in the selection and sequence of therapy, as well as proper follow-up during treatment and monitoring, impacting survival. These laboratory guidelines from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group provide recommendations for the diagnosis and laboratory follow-up of patients with multiple myeloma. The follow-up and diagnosis of patients with other clinically significant monoclonal gammopathies were not included in this text. This article was based on international guidelines, scientific publications, and the experience of a panel of specialists in clinical and laboratory fields dedicated to the study and treatment of multiple myeloma.

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References

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Published

2025-08-29

How to Cite

1.
Pires AM, Barreto JP, Caetano J, Soares MJ, Geraldes C, Fernandes B, Coucelo M, Chacim S, Coelho H, Correia C, Cruz AP, Cunha M, Cunha MR, Cunha N, Ferraz P, Freitas JG, Henrique R, Lisboa S, Lúcio P, Paiva A, Pedrosa C, Ramos I, Sarmento AB, Seabra P, Sevilha J, Rego de Sousa MJ, Sousa S, Sousa T, Tavares M, Trigo F, Bergantim R, Roque A, João C. Diagnosis and Laboratory Follow-Up of Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Guidelines from the Portuguese Multiple Myeloma Group. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2025 Aug. 29 [cited 2025 Dec. 6];38(10):654-68. Available from: https://www.actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/22909

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Guidelines