Beta-2 Microglobulin-Serum

Beta-2 Microglobulin Serum test is used as a tumour marker for people who have been diagnosed with blood cell or bone marrow cancer. 

Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) is a protein present in most of the cells in the body. Most people have small amounts of this protein in their urine and blood. However, an increase in its level may lead to conditions like lymphoma, infections, and inflammatory diseases. Beta-2 Microglobulin Serum test is conducted to identify the amount of this protein in the blood and urine.    

Beta-2 Microglobulin-Serum Test - Overview

The amount of beta-2 microglobulin in the body might increase due to an activation of the immune system. It might also increase with high cell production. B2M increases in people suffering from cancers such as multiple myeloma and leukaemia. These diseases occur in the blood and bone marrow. Thus, the protein is called a tumour marker that can help indicate the presence of a tumour. 

Doctors carry out the Beta-2 Microglobulin-Serum Test procedure to check the levels of B2M in the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF). If the B2M level has increased here, there are chances of cancer spreading to the brain. 

However, the test is not always used for diagnosing cancer. Doctors can use it to obtain information about the severity of cancer and predict future complications. 

The physicians might prescribe this test after observing some specific symptoms. These include weakness, nausea, swelling in the eyes or ankles, and foamy or bloody urine. 

If you're diagnosed with multiple myeloma, this test might help your doctor understand the disease's stage. 

Your doctor might conduct the Beta-2 Microglobulin-Serum Test by taking a blood sample or a urine sample. 

Another way to conduct this test is by examining the CSF. You might undergo a procedure called a spinal tap, wherein, the doctor will draw some CSF from your spine and check the B2M level.  

Why Should You Get Tested?

You must get a Beta-2 Microglobulin-Serum test so the doctors can understand the presence of cancer in your blood and bone marrow. It will help them analyse the treatment procedure and the stage of cancer. 

If your B2M levels are increasing, it means cancer might be spreading. But if the levels have not changed, it can indicate that the treatment is not working.
 

Medically reviewed by Dr. S K Sahoo, Senior Consultant, General Physican/Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospitals Sector 26, Noida.