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Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma associated with bone marrow involvement and IgM monoclonal gammopathy

Symptoms of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

The following features are indicative of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
  • easy bruising
  • bleeding from the nose
  • bleeding from the gums
  • fatigue
  • weight loss
  • numbness in hands
  • numbness in feet
  • fever
  • headache
  • shortness of breath
  • changes in vision
  • confusion
  • weakness
  • stroke
It is possible that Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

The following are the most common causes of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
  • somatic mutation in MYD88
  • somatic mutation in CXCR4

Risk Factors for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
  • personal history of autoimmune diseases
  • presence of liver inflammation
  • human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • rickettsiosis
  • being male
  • being white
  • having a family history of lymphoma
  • older adults

Prevention of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • avoid injection drug use
  • avoid unprotected sex with many partners

Occurrence of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Rare between 10K - 50K cases

Common Age Group

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
  • Blood test: To detect the IgM antibodies protein and to reveal low numbers of healthy RBCs
  • Bone marrow biopsy: To look for presence of cancer cells
  • Imaging test: To determine the spread of cancer to other areas of the body

Complications of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia if untreated

Yes, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is left untreated:
  • Bing-Neel syndrome
  • bilateral facial nerve palsy

Procedures for Treatment of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

The following procedures are used to treat Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
  • Plasmapheresis: To remove IgM proteins and replace with healthy blood plasma
  • Bone marrow transplant: To treat Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Time for Treatment of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • Disease cannot be treated but only maintained or effects reduced

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/27/2020.
This page provides information for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

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