This study is designed to observe the incidence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) among obese patients planning to have weight reduction surgery or planning to enter into a physician monitored weight loss program and to follow the regression or progression of MGUS following surgery or the initiation of the weight loss program.
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Male or female patients 30 years or older planning to undergo weight reduction surgery or planning to enter into a physician monitored weight loss program
2. Patients must be obese, defined as a BMI ≥ 30 as calculated by the formula:
weight in pounds / height squared x 703 = BMI
3. Subject consent and authorization for the release of health information must be obtained according to local institutional guidelines.
4. To remain in the study for the follow-up phase, the baseline screening test must indicate that a patient has MGUS.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. No history of any malignancy except: adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer, curatively treated in-situ cancer of the cervix, or other solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease for ≥ 5 years.
2. No concurrent or planned participation in randomized trials of weight loss.
3. A patient will be excluded from the follow-up phase if the baseline screening test indicates they do not have MGUS
