Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Waldenström macroglobulinemia is an indolent B-cell lymphoma characterized by infiltration of the bone marrow and other organs by malignant lymphoplasmacytic cells, which produce excessive amounts of monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM). The clinical manifestations depend on the organs involved. The spleen, liver, and lymph nodes are commonly affected, resulting in organ enlargement. Bone marrow infiltration leads to pancytopenia, causing anemia and thrombocytopenia. Waldenström macroglobulinemia primarily affects older adults, particularly men. The disease is characterized by hyperviscosity syndrome caused by elevated IgM levels, which may present with bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes, visual disturbances, and neurological symptoms such as headache and dizziness. There is no universally accepted standard treatment for this disease.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology