Menu
Logo

Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia

I See Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM)

Welcome to I see Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, a dedicated resource to help healthcare practitioners find the latest information about the signs, symptoms and diagnosis of WM.

I See Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM)

What is Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM)?

Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a chronic, indolent, B-cell disorder characterised by bone marrow infiltration with lymphoplasmacytic cells, along with IgM monoclonal gammopathy.[1][2]

What are the causes and the main symptoms of WM?

A quick overview of the mutation that leads to the development of WM, what are the disease manifestations, and the relevance of the asymptomatic disease.

It seems your browser is blocking 3rd party cookies which are required to display videos. To resolve this issue, please update your cookie settings to allow these 3rd party cookies.

CP-299789, approved on 11/05/2022

WM statistics

of Non-Hodgkin lymphomas[3]

Median age of diagnosis[3]

~2x more common in men[3]

Median overall survival[4]

WM incidence rates

In Europe, the WM incidence rate is 7.3 per million in men, and 4.2 per million in women[3]

A strong familial predisposition has been reported,[3][5] first-degree relatives of WM patients have up to 20-fold increased risk for developing WM (and also increased risk but at lower level for other B-cell disorders).[3]

In contrast to multiple myeloma, WM prevalence is higher among Caucasians than other races.[3][6]

Epidemiological data and risk evaluation in WM

Have a look at the International Prognostic Scoring System for Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (IPSSWM) to evaluate the probability of progression, and its correlation with median survival.

It seems your browser is blocking 3rd party cookies which are required to display videos. To resolve this issue, please update your cookie settings to allow these 3rd party cookies.

CP-299791, approved on 11/05/2022

Risk factors

The main risk factor for WM is the presence of IgM-monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS).[7][8] Whilst in most people, MGUS remains stable and doesn’t cause problems or need treatment, there is a risk of MGUS developing into a cancer.[9] The presence of IgM-MGUS increases the risk of WM by 46 times vs. the general population.[10][11]

Other risk factors include:[10][11]:

Genetic predisposition[3][7]
Presence of autoimmune disease[7]
History of infections[7]

WM immunophenotype and genetic mutations

WM cells are characterised by very specific immunophenotypes[3][^7]:

Positive for WM

IgM, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD25, CD27, CD79a

Variable for WM

CD5, CD10, CD23, CD138

Negative for WM

CD103

These characteristic immunophenotypes differentiate WM from other Non-Hodgkin lymphomas and from multiple myeloma (MM).[7]

Patients with WM present with different genetic variations, with the most common being del (6q) together with the somatic mutation in MYD88(L265P).[7] The latter has an important role in the growth and survival of WM cells.[1][7]

Learn about the steps involved in diagnosing your patient’s WM

Other blood cancer conditions

I see AL amyloidosis

The latest insights into diagnosing and treating AL amyloidosis.

I see mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)

Current advice regarding the diagnosis and treatment of MCL.

I see acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)

Most recent guidance into diagnosing and treating acute myeloid leukaemia.

A dedicated online resource for healthcare professionals to learn about the diagnosis and management of rare haematological malignancies: AL amyloidosis, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, mantle cell lymphoma and acute myeloid leukaemia.

Download this information on Waldenström's
macroglobulinemia

CD=cluster of differentiation; IgM=immunoglobulin M; MGUS=monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance; WM=Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia.

This site has been developed by Janssen-Cilag International NV. Janssen-Cilag International NV is the responsible editor of this document.

CP-343204 - September 2022