Urine test (Light chain / Bence Jones protein)

Your doctor is likely to ask you for a urine sample. This is to check for abnormal antibodies (paraproteins) made by myeloma cells. One part of the paraprotein is the light chain or Bence Jones protein, which the body gets rid of in the urine.

Many people with myeloma have Bence Jones protein in their urine. These protein molecules can damage the kidneys as they pass through them from the blood to the urine.

What happens

You give a sample of your urine in a pot to your doctor or nurse. The sample is sent to the laboratory for tests.

Occasionally your doctor might need to collect your urine over a 24 hour period. You'll need to take a container home to collect your urine. Your doctor or nurse will explain more about how to do this test. 

It is now more common to have a blood test called a serum free light chain (SFLC) assay instead of a 24 hour urine collection. 

Getting your results

You usually get the results within a week or two. The doctor who arranged the test will give them to you.

Waiting for test results can be worrying. It may help to talk to a close friend or relative about how you feel.

This page is due for review. We will update this as soon as possible.