Survival rates show how many people in a group are alive after a set number of years. For example, a five-year survival rate is the percentage of people alive five years after diagnosis. Survival statistics describe groups. They cannot tell exactly how long one person will live.
Survival statistics
The estimated five-year overall survival rates based on the MSS-WM for a test group were:
- Low risk: about 93%.
- Low-intermediate risk: about 90%.
- Intermediate risk: about 75%.
- High risk: about 57%.
The estimated 10-year overall survival rates in the same group were:
- Low risk: about 91%.
- Low-intermediate risk: about 80%.
- Intermediate risk: about 64%.
- High risk: about 35%.
Severe Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia or its complications can be life-threatening. The exact cause of death varies from person to person. In people older than 65, the most common cause of death is not cancer related.
Outlook
For active or symptomatic Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, the Modified Staging System for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (MSS-WM) uses age and two blood tests, albumin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), to estimate risk group and outlook. People in lower risk groups usually live longer than people in higher risk groups.
MSS-WM groups help healthcare professionals talk about outlook. A risk group cannot predict exactly how long you will live. Survival with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia has improved over time, but each person's outlook is different.
Life expectancy with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia varies widely. One recent review found a median survival of more than 10 years for people diagnosed before age 70. Median survival was about seven years for people ages 70 to 79 and about four years for people age 80 or older. Median survival is the length of time at which half of the people in a group are still living.
These numbers describe groups, not what will happen to one person. Age has a strong effect on survival.
Some people with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia live for many years after diagnosis. Long-term survival depends on age, how the condition is affecting you, complications and how well the cancer responds to treatment.
Group statistics cannot predict whether one person will live 20 years or longer. Some people do live for many years after diagnosis, but individual outlook varies.
Survival statistics take years to collect. The latest numbers include people who were treated more than five years ago. Some of them did not have access to today's newer treatments. But survival rates are improving.
What you can do
Ask your healthcare team what the survival numbers mean for you. Keep follow-up visits and report new or changing symptoms so your healthcare team can watch your condition and decide when treatment may be needed.
Oct. 17, 2026