Question about “IG Auto” value in blood test

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  • Post
    • January 2, 2016 at 7:28 pm
    mrsaxde
    Participant

      I had blood work and a restaging CT scan done on Friday (my prior scan in September, after 3 doses of Keytruda, showed all my lesions slowly shrinking. Hoping for similar, or even better, results this time!)

      But my question is about the "IG Auto" value in blood tests. I never paid much attention to it until I was looking over my blood test results, then I looked it up and found that it is a measure of antibodies in your blood. Mine was in the middle of the "normal" range.

      Does that test only measure certain types of antibodies, or only naturally produced antibodies? That is my assumption, but I didn't know for sure and couldn't find the answer. I'm wondering because if it's a measure of total antibodies, I would think it would be off the chart if you're getting an immunotherapy.

      What is off the chart in most of my blood work is my eosinophil count. This time that was almost double the top end of the reference range. I saw somewhere where they think that may be a marker for the effectiveness of immunotherapy, so I always hope that one will be high, and so far, it always has been.

      Thanks in advance for any info you have on this.

      -Bill

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    • Replies
        • January 3, 2016 at 7:27 am
        kylez
        Participant

          Bill,

          Good luck on your CT results. 

          For my blood tests, they don't seem to do an "IG Auto" test.

          My eosphonils, which they do test, started going up when I started anti-PD1 (plus Lirilumab) treatment. At five or six months in, they peaked and stayed there for about a year. Lately they've been easing off a bit.

          – Kyle

          • January 3, 2016 at 7:27 am
          kylez
          Participant

            Bill,

            Good luck on your CT results. 

            For my blood tests, they don't seem to do an "IG Auto" test.

            My eosphonils, which they do test, started going up when I started anti-PD1 (plus Lirilumab) treatment. At five or six months in, they peaked and stayed there for about a year. Lately they've been easing off a bit.

            – Kyle

            • January 3, 2016 at 7:27 am
            kylez
            Participant

              Bill,

              Good luck on your CT results. 

              For my blood tests, they don't seem to do an "IG Auto" test.

              My eosphonils, which they do test, started going up when I started anti-PD1 (plus Lirilumab) treatment. At five or six months in, they peaked and stayed there for about a year. Lately they've been easing off a bit.

              – Kyle

              • January 3, 2016 at 7:13 pm
              Bubbles
              Participant

                Your "IG auto" is probably a reference test for immunoglobulins (aka antibodies).  There are several types (IgA, IgG, IgM).  IgG is the most common.  They are produced by our bodies as an immune response to bacteria, viruses, fugus, allergens, cancer, etc…as well as immunotherapy.  Docs can choose to look at them for a variety of reasons depending on what is going on with the patient.  Frequent infections… Allergy symptoms…  Perhaps in your circumstance, your immunotherapy.

                Here are some post with articles re eosinophils if you are interested: 

                http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/08/markers-for-response-to-immunotherapy.html

                http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/06/asco-2015-eosinophilia-with-nivo-and.html

                Hope that helps.  I wish you well. Celeste

                • January 3, 2016 at 7:13 pm
                Bubbles
                Participant

                  Your "IG auto" is probably a reference test for immunoglobulins (aka antibodies).  There are several types (IgA, IgG, IgM).  IgG is the most common.  They are produced by our bodies as an immune response to bacteria, viruses, fugus, allergens, cancer, etc…as well as immunotherapy.  Docs can choose to look at them for a variety of reasons depending on what is going on with the patient.  Frequent infections… Allergy symptoms…  Perhaps in your circumstance, your immunotherapy.

                  Here are some post with articles re eosinophils if you are interested: 

                  http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/08/markers-for-response-to-immunotherapy.html

                  http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/06/asco-2015-eosinophilia-with-nivo-and.html

                  Hope that helps.  I wish you well. Celeste

                  • January 3, 2016 at 7:13 pm
                  Bubbles
                  Participant

                    Your "IG auto" is probably a reference test for immunoglobulins (aka antibodies).  There are several types (IgA, IgG, IgM).  IgG is the most common.  They are produced by our bodies as an immune response to bacteria, viruses, fugus, allergens, cancer, etc…as well as immunotherapy.  Docs can choose to look at them for a variety of reasons depending on what is going on with the patient.  Frequent infections… Allergy symptoms…  Perhaps in your circumstance, your immunotherapy.

                    Here are some post with articles re eosinophils if you are interested: 

                    http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/08/markers-for-response-to-immunotherapy.html

                    http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2015/06/asco-2015-eosinophilia-with-nivo-and.html

                    Hope that helps.  I wish you well. Celeste

                      • January 3, 2016 at 10:54 pm
                      mrsaxde
                      Participant

                        Thanks for the info and links. Yeah, I get the test is for antibodies. I was just curious as to whether you would expect it to be higher with immunotherapy, or whether the antibodies from something like Keytruda wouldn't be picked up by the test.

                        • January 3, 2016 at 10:54 pm
                        mrsaxde
                        Participant

                          Thanks for the info and links. Yeah, I get the test is for antibodies. I was just curious as to whether you would expect it to be higher with immunotherapy, or whether the antibodies from something like Keytruda wouldn't be picked up by the test.

                          • January 3, 2016 at 10:54 pm
                          mrsaxde
                          Participant

                            Thanks for the info and links. Yeah, I get the test is for antibodies. I was just curious as to whether you would expect it to be higher with immunotherapy, or whether the antibodies from something like Keytruda wouldn't be picked up by the test.

                            • January 3, 2016 at 11:35 pm
                            Bubbles
                            Participant

                              If immunoglobulins increase for any reason…they will increase on your lab work.  Exposure to all the things I mentioned can make them increase.  However, they have not been noted to be particularly valuable in gauging a response to immunotherapy…at least per the literature as eosinophils have.  c

                              • January 3, 2016 at 11:35 pm
                              Bubbles
                              Participant

                                If immunoglobulins increase for any reason…they will increase on your lab work.  Exposure to all the things I mentioned can make them increase.  However, they have not been noted to be particularly valuable in gauging a response to immunotherapy…at least per the literature as eosinophils have.  c

                                • January 3, 2016 at 11:35 pm
                                Bubbles
                                Participant

                                  If immunoglobulins increase for any reason…they will increase on your lab work.  Exposure to all the things I mentioned can make them increase.  However, they have not been noted to be particularly valuable in gauging a response to immunotherapy…at least per the literature as eosinophils have.  c

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