Several illnesses can cause the development of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. For example, Hepatitis C and Peripheral neuropathy. This condition can also lead to cirrhosis of the liver. However, there are ways to treat this disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) are caused by a buildup of a protein called lgM in the blood. This protein can cause blind spots, pain in the hands and feet, and poor absorption of vitamins. It can also cause problems with digestion, and make your body more susceptible to infection.
If you are diagnosed with WM, you may have other signs, such as swollen lymph nodes, swollen abdomen, peripheral neuropathy, and bleeding. Your doctor will work with you to choose the best treatment options. A bone marrow transplant may be a good option for people with WM. The disease can also be treated with chemotherapy or biological therapies.
A biopsy can confirm the diagnosis. It is usually taken from the lymph nodes. A stem cell transplant is another option.
Your physician will use blood tests, urine analysis, and other tests to determine if you have WM. These tests can show if your blood contains abnormal proteins. These proteins can obstruct the flow of blood, making it harder for organs and tissues to function. If the WM symptoms persist, you may be referred to an oncologist.
If you have WM, you can be treated with high-dose chemotherapy. These drugs may be used to prepare you for a bone marrow transplant. In addition, some medications can be combined with other medications to treat your symptoms.
Some patients with WM experience side effects such as night sweats, swollen abdominal areas, and fever. They may have clotting issues as a result of a low number of platelets. These symptoms can be caused by lgM, a protein that can cause problems with blood clotting. You may also have diarrhea. This can be accompanied by weight loss.
Causes
Those with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia have abnormal white blood cells in their bone marrow. The cells produce an excessive amount of IgM, which thickens the blood and impairs circulation. The disease can cause complications, including blurred vision and dizziness.
The disease is usually found in older adults. Men are more likely to develop it than women. People with a family history of the disease may also be at an increased risk. The disease is rare, with only five cases per one million people over the age of 50.
This disease is caused by a group of abnormal white blood cells called lymphoplasmacytic cells. These cells look like white blood cells but have the characteristics of plasma cells. These cells produce an excess of immunoglobulin M (IgM). IgM helps the body fight infections. However, the abnormal cells in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia multiply too quickly and crowd out healthy blood cells.
These abnormal cells can cause other symptoms, including fatigue, loss of energy, headaches, nausea, and weight loss. They can also lead to an enlarged liver and lymph nodes. They can also obstruct the flow of blood, which can cause blind spots and digestive problems. The disease can also lead to nerve damage outside the brain.
Because of the high IgM levels, the body is more susceptible to infection. This can lead to bleeding, organ damage, and a lower blood cell count. Treatment is designed to decrease the symptoms and the risk of harming the organs.
Treatment for this disease often involves chemotherapy. Traditional chemotherapeutic agents include chlorambucil (Leukeran) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). A new medication, zanubrutinib, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Natural remedies for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia are also available. They include herbal medicines and supplements that can be taken with water. Aside from these medications, other methods of treating this disease include coughing to keep airways open and wearing protective clothing.
Treatment
Several treatment options are available for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. These treatments may include chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Depending on the stage of the disease, the treatment plan will be custom-made for each patient.
The main goal of treatment is to control the symptoms. This is achieved through plasma exchange and plasmapheresis, which helps to normalize viscosity. It also reduces the risk of a flare. However, it is important to note that a significant reduction in IgM protein levels is not always associated with improved clinical manifestations of the disease.
Treatment may include a stem cell transplant. This is a procedure that involves infusing healthy blood stem cells into the body. These stem cells are capable of rebuilding the bone marrow. A successful stem cell transplant may result in a long-term improvement in the patient’s condition.
High-dose chemotherapy is sometimes used in Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia treatment. This technique wipes out the tumor mass and the diseased bone marrow. In addition, patients may receive a combination of drugs.
Other medications, such as a non-neurotoxic epoxyketone proteasome inhibitor called carfilzomib, are used for relapsed or refractory disease. This drug is a second-generation BTK inhibitor. It has been approved by the FDA.
Other treatment options for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia are stem cell transplants and immunotherapy. These treatments are tailored to each patient’s needs and may be followed for years.
For younger patients, a stem cell transplant can be highly effective. This is based on long-term experience with this type of cancer. Initially, the stem cells are collected during the first plateau of the disease, which is when they are at their most active. These stem cells are then cryopreserved until they are ready for use.
Another option is ibrutinib, which is an FDA-approved drug. It works by blocking a cell protein called mTOR, which normally helps the cells divide. This is considered a convenient and safe treatment.
Hepatitis C
Despite the fact that Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM) and Hepatitis C virus infection are associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the mechanism by which this connection is formed remains unclear. However, epidemiologic data and clinical observation support a causal relationship.
Infection with HCV leads to cirrhosis, a condition in which the liver becomes unable to repair itself. In addition, HCV infection increases the risk of hematological malignancies, such as lymphoproliferative disorders, hematopoietic tumors, and thyroid cancer. A recent study found that the frequency of WM was significantly higher in individuals with HCV.
In the case of WM, the disease is a malignant clonal B-cell disorder that affects the bone marrow. The abnormal cells multiply uncontrollably and outnumber the normal cells. In some patients, the disease can also result in anemia. A common symptom of WM is fatigue.
The disease occurs in approximately five people per million in the United States. It is most often seen in adults over the age of 65. Although it is not curable, the symptoms can be eliminated by treatment. The condition can cause several medical problems, including anemia, low neutrophils, and fatigue. Some of the treatments used to treat the disease include rituximab-based chemoimmunotherapy and ibrutinib.
According to the Revised European American Lymphoma Classification, WM is defined as a slow-growing, malignant, low-grade B-cell clonal disorder. A mutation in the MYD88 gene causes the formation of abnormal cells. The mutation makes proteins that help abnormal cells to grow.
The MYD88 gene is located on the chromosomes. It serves as the communications center for proteins in immune cells. The mutated gene creates an abnormal protein, which in turn can cause life-threatening conditions.
A study conducted on a large sample of U.S. veterans suggests that a patient’s risk of WM may be as high as three times higher if they have hepatitis C.
Peripheral neuropathy
Approximately 1% of the general population has monoclonal proteins in their sera. In some cases, these proteins are associated with peripheral neuropathy. In addition, a large proportion of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy patients are found to have serum monoclonal gammopathy.
Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a type of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. WM is characterized by the accumulation of clonally related lymphocytes in different tissues. These cells interfere with the development of normal blood cells. The cells can lead to an enlarged spleen, liver, or lymph nodes. They can also result in a reduction in the number of healthy blood cells.
In this study, we studied 25 idiopathic peripheral neuropathy patients who had been treated with WM. We divided them into two groups based on their antigenic characteristics. Among the group, I, all but one patient had symmetric sensory-motor polyneuropathy. The other nine patients had diffuse areflexia.
In group II, five patients had extensive plasmaphereses using a cell separator, which improved the neuropathy in four of the patients. The other three patients were treated with intermittent plasmaphereses. In both groups, monoclonal IgM was able to bind to myelin sheaths. IgM from the patient’s serum stained both the inner and outer borders of the myelin sheath. These findings are suggestive of a possible role for the monoclonal IgM in neuropathy.
Although the data obtained from this study are not conclusive, they indicate heterogeneity in the antibody activity of the patients with WM and peripheral neuropathy. This may have implications for therapeutic strategies in neuropathy.
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy often precede the hematologic manifestations by several years. During this period, the neuropathy was accompanied by an elevated serum tumor necrosis factor-a, which is associated with POEMS syndrome.
Health Sources:
Health A to Z. (n.d.). HSE.ie. https://www2.hse.ie/az/
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Directory Health Topics. (n.d.). https://www.healthline.com/directory/topics
Health A-Z. (2022, April 26). Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/health-a-z-4014770
Harvard Health. (2015, November 17). Health A to Z. https://www.health.harvard.edu/health-a-to-z
Health Conditions A-Z Sitemap. (n.d.). EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/conditions/
