What is Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia?
Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia is a rare blood cancer caused by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow.
These abnormal cells overproduce a large plasma protein called immunoglobulin, which is a macroglobulin. It is for this and the Swedish doctor who first identified the disease in 1944 that Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia is named.
The disease is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, accounting for 1-2% of all cases.
It is slow-growing, classed as an “indolent lymphoma”. Those diagnosed often survive for many years, although there is currently no known cure.
Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia means the body produces antibodies that are incapable of fighting infection.
They also cause a build up of monoclonal, or “M proteins”, that cause the blood to thicken, preventing it from flowing properly. This can result in blood clotting and organ damage.
Excess bleeding and nervous system problems can also result from the condition.
The abnormal cells inhibit the body from producing enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Symptoms can include:
- weakness
- fatigue
- unexplained weight loss
- enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen and liver
- bruising or bleeding
- night sweats
- headaches
- changes in vision
- numbness or tingling limbs
However, some people with the disease show no symptoms until it is quite advanced.
More serious complications of the disease can include hyperviscosity (thickening of the blood), enlargement of organs, and swollen lymph nodes.
Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia is not an inherited condition. The white blood cell mutations that lead to the disease occur after birth, although it is not yet known how.
The genetic links are unknown, but having a close relative with Waldenström Macroglobulinaemia increases risk significantly. Almost 20% of people with the disease have a family member with the condition or with another B-cell disorder.
