Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia

Treatment

Symptomatic Waldenström's macroglobulinemia requires chemotherapy — medicines that attack abnormal cells to reduce their impact on normal healthy bone marrow and reduce the level of abnormal protein produced. The treatment can be given as pills or intravenously. Research on different combinations of medications is under way, as is research into the possibility of non-chemotherapy treatments.

During chemotherapy, Mayo Clinic doctors closely monitor the level of abnormal protein in the blood and urine. Periodic bone marrow samples may be obtained to assess the number of abnormal lymphocytes. This information helps doctors monitor progress and adjust treatment. A drop in the level of abnormal protein usually means the treatment is effective. A stable protein level indicates that the disease is stable. Rarely does the protein disappear completely from the blood and urine.

If thickening of the blood causes problems, plasma exchange can be used to wash the plasma out of the bloodstream, in a sense cleansing the plasma. This highly effective technique usually requires only a short time to lower blood protein levels.

Although this disease cannot currently be cured, it can be controlled long-term with treatment. With good results, a person's activity levels will return to normal.

Macroglobulinemia can be a chronic stressful disease. Many people worry about the disease's effects on them and their families. Although these fears and worries are normal, they may not always be understood by relatives or friends. At Mayo Clinic, counseling is available to help address the emotional distress of this disorder.