What is Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia?
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia lymphoma is a type of cancer involving cellular system cells. It is a slow-growing cancer and is one of a group of cancer called non-hodgkin lymphomas. Waldenstrom lymphoma is rare cancer, with only 1,500 cases diagnosed each year in the United States. In the UK, approximately one out of ten million cancer has approximately one person. Most people who are diagnosed are over 65 years old.
immune cells that become malignant in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia are called b lymphocytes. These cells usually produce several types of antibodies to protect the body from bacterial infection. In people with Waldenstrom lymphoma, cells produce only one type of antibody called IgM, and produce this antibody in excessive quantities.
Ordinary symptoms of macroglobulinemia Waldenstrom include fever, weakness or fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Other symptoms develop due to excessive antibody production, whichthat cause a state called hypsyndrome eriscosity . This happens because excessive amounts of antibody in the blood cause it to deteriorate. Symptoms of this syndrome may include headaches, dizziness, hearing problems, blurred vision and abnormal bleeding.
The diagnosis of this cancer is performed on the basis of blood tests that detect IgM levels in the blood and other proteins that indicate the presence of cancer cells. A bone marrow biopsy may also be performed. Once cancer is diagnosed, other tests such as CT scan are performed to assess whether any of the body's organs has been affected.
There are many drugs and other therapies that can be used for the treatment of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Yet there is no standard treatment regimen that is used to treat people with this cancer. It is largely because cancer is so rare that the treatment regime is not yetwas developed.
If the individual has this form of cancer but has no symptoms, generally has no form of treatment. Instead, the asymptomatic person is monitored by regular blood tests for signs of cancer symptoms. When the symptoms begin to occur, drugs are used to reduce IgM levels in the blood. If the drug cannot control IGM levels, the treatment called plasmaphesis is used. In this treatment, blood is circulated by a filter machine that lowers IGM levels. Chemotherapy killing cancer cells and bone marrow transplantation to introduce a new population of healthy cells are another possible treatment.
The prognosis for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia depends on several factors, including the age of the individual, and the extent in which the organs are affected by cancer. Because this cancer is growing very slowly, the average survival time from the diagnosis is between six and seven years. Good control of IgM levels in the blood is a more effective way to improve prognosis.