Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia – Symptoms and Causes
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Overview
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a rare cancer affecting white blood cells. This condition belongs to the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma family and is sometimes referred to as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.
The disease starts when certain white blood cells transform into cancer cells. These abnormal cells accumulate in the bone marrow—the soft, spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are produced.
As these cancer cells multiply, they crowd out healthy blood cells and disrupt normal blood production.
The cancer cells can spread beyond the bone marrow to other areas of the body, including:
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
- Other tissues
A distinctive feature of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is the production of an abnormal protein by the cancer cells. This protein builds up in the bloodstream and can cause serious complications by:
- Thickening the blood
- Reducing blood flow
- Impairing circulation
- Affecting various organs
The protein accumulation leads to many of the symptoms that patients experience and requires specific treatment approaches.
Signs and Symptoms
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a slow-growing condition that may not cause symptoms for years. When symptoms do appear, they can include:
- Feeling tired often
- Fever
- Losing weight without trying
- Sweating at night
- Numbness in hands or feet
- Swollen glands in neck, armpit, or groin
- Pain or fullness below the left ribs (from enlarged spleen)
- Bruising easily
- Bleeding from nose or gums
- Headaches
- Trouble breathing
- Vision changes
- Feeling confused
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
If you notice any ongoing symptoms that concern you, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Don’t wait if symptoms persist or get worse over time.
Causes
DNA changes in cells lead to Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. These changes affect white blood cells, turning them into cancer cells. The exact reason for these DNA changes remains unknown.
When cells develop these changes, they start to multiply rapidly. Unlike healthy cells that die naturally, these cancer cells continue to live. They gather in the bone marrow, which is the soft tissue inside bones where blood cells form.
As cancer cells build up in bone marrow, they push out healthy blood cells. They may also collect in lymph nodes and the spleen. This growth disrupts normal body functions.
The cancer cells produce a protein called immunoglobulin M (IgM). This protein serves no useful purpose in the body. When IgM builds up in the blood, it can:
- Slow blood flow
- Cause circulation problems
- Lead to other health issues
This protein buildup is a key feature of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. The excess IgM makes the blood thicker than normal, a condition doctors call hyperviscosity.
Risk Factors
Several factors may increase a person’s chance of developing Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia:
Age: While this condition can develop at any age, it most frequently occurs in adults over 70 years old.
Gender: Men have a higher likelihood of developing this disease compared to women.
Race: White individuals face a greater risk of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia than people of other racial backgrounds.
Family History: Having relatives with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia or other B-cell lymphomas may increase risk.
These risk factors don’t mean someone will definitely develop the disease. Many people with one or more risk factors never develop Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, while others with no known risk factors do.
Medical professionals continue to study why some people develop this condition while others don’t.
