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
