Question about “IG Auto” value in blood test
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Question about “IG Auto” value in blood test

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Question about “IG Auto” value in blood test

  • 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

Viewing 5 reply threads
  • 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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