Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
Meaning of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a slow growing lymphoma marked by excess antibody production that can thicken the blood and impair circulation.
Definition of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is an indolent, meaning slow growing, form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in which abnormal lymphoplasmacytic cells accumulate, most often in the bone marrow, and produce excessive amounts of a single antibody type called immunoglobulin M, or IgM. This condition is now classified as a specific subtype of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.
The buildup of IgM can thicken the blood, a condition called hyperviscosity, which can affect circulation and contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, bleeding, vision changes, and nerve related symptoms, alongside more general lymphoma related effects such as enlarged lymph nodes, liver, or spleen.
Because Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia tends to progress slowly, some people are monitored for a period without immediate treatment, and management decisions generally take into account both the pace of the disease and the presence of symptoms related to hyperviscosity or the lymphoma itself.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Elevated IgM levels on laboratory testing led to a diagnosis of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.
Good to know
The excess IgM in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia can thicken the blood enough to cause hyperviscosity symptoms distinct from the general effects of lymphoma, a distinction relevant to how the condition is evaluated and monitored.