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Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia


Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is a rare, chronic form of lymphoma that affects blood plasma cells. It mainly strikes people aged 65 and over, and is most common in Caucasian men. Waldenström's is a low-grade, or indolent, lymphoma that spreads slowly and is easily controlled with therapy when diagnosed early.

In some cases, Waldenström's can exist for years without showing any symptoms, most of which are caused by thickened blood.  Although it is a chronic condition, Waldenstrom's can become more aggressive or progress to lymphoma over time if not treated.

  • Headaches
  • Confusion
  • Loss of coordination
  • Dizziness
  • Vision problems
  • Tendency for excessive bleeding

Having one or more of the symptoms listed above does not necessarily mean you have Waldenström’s. However, it is important to discuss any symptoms with your doctor, since they may indicate other health problems.

News
Events

At this moment there are no events of Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia

Teaching

At the moment there are no courses of Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia

Clinical trials
Ensayo de fase 1a/2a, abierto y multicéntrico, para investigar la seguridad, tolerabilidad y actividad antitumoral de dosis repetidas de Sym015, una mezcla de anticuerpos monoclonales dirigida frente al receptor MET, en pacientes con tumores malignos sólidos en fase avanzada
Estudio fase IIIB, prospectivo, randomizado, abierto que evalúa la eficacia y seguridad de Heparina/Edoxaban versus Dalteparina en tromboembolismo venoso asociado con cáncer.

There are no known risk factors, other than advancing age. Waldenström's occurs when blood plasma cells begin producing abnormal amounts of a certain antibody, IgM, which causes the blood to become thick and viscous.

As with other types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, the most effective treatment is chemotherapy, usually a combination of two or more drugs.

 

In some cases, a patient's plasma is removed and replaced with a substitute, in a procedure known as plasmapheresis. A bone marrow transplant may be required for younger patients. Interferon alpha, an immunotherapy that uses the body's own defenses to fight disease, is showing promise in people with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.