Observation of the Incidence and Natural History of MGUS in Patients Undergoing Weight Reduction Surgery

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