Durical for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Treatment

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia is a medical term to define a rare and slow growing cancer that begins in the autoimmune system.
Quick Facts

• It is also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma
• Starts in white blood cells called B lymphocytes or B cells
• Causes overproduction of a protein called monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM or “macroglobulin”) antibody
• Diagnosed using bone marrow biopsy and blood tests
• B cells play a key role in the body’s immune system
• In Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia cells multiply out of control producing large amounts of a protein called monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM or “macroglobulin”) antibody
•  High levels of IgM in the blood cause hyperviscosity characterized by thickness or gumminess
• Incidence of this disorder is higher in males than females

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Causes

• The exact cause is not known
• Role of genetics
• Changes in DNA
• Defects in bone marrow cells
• Missing of a piece of chromosome

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Symptoms

• Some patients don’t witness any symptoms
• Weakness
• Severe fatigue
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Sudden weight loss
• Bruises or other skin lesions
• High levels of IgM
• Blurring of vision
• Neurological problems such as headache, dizziness, vertigo
• Visual disturbances
• Diarrhea
• Malabsorption
• Renal disease
• Amyloidosis of the heart, kidney, liver, lungs, and joints
• Bleeding manifestations
• Platelet dysfunction
• Coagulation factor
• Fibrinogen abnormalities due to interaction with plasma IgM
• Raynaud phenomenon
• Increased predisposition to infection due to B-cell dysfunction
• T-cell dysfunction
• Cardiac failure
• Increased incidence of lymphomas, myelodysplasia, and leukemias