[Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in Mexican mestizos: one institution's experience].

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is defined as presence of serum monoclonal protein at a concentration of 3 g per deciliter or less, no monoclonal protein or only moderate amounts of monoclonal light chains in urine, absence of lytic bone lesions, anemia, hypercalemia, and renal insufficiency related with monoclonal protein, and with a proportion of plasma cells in bone marrow of 10% or less. In Caucasian population, MGUS affects about 3% of individuals > 70 years of age, whereas in Mexican mestizos this figure is substantially lower (0.7%); on the other hand, MGUS represents in Mexico only 2.4% of all monoclonal gammopathies. In a total of 9081 individuals studied prospectively at the Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna de Puebla throughout a 20-year period, 11 patients with MGUS were identified. Median age was 70 years (range 43-83 years). Patients have been followed in periods ranging from 6 to 3270 days (median, 308 days). Two patients evolved into overt multiple myeloma at 308 and 1687 days after diagnosis of MGUS. Overall median survival (SV) of the group has not been reached, whereas 3270 days overall SV is 91%. After discussing underreporting, biasing, and other confounding factors, it would seem that MGUS, like other monoclonal gammopathies, is less frequent in Mexican mestizos than in Caucasians. Routine screening studies to identify the condition should result in increased numbers of patients.