If you have a relative who has been diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia or another type of B-cell lymphoma, you may have an increased risk. White people are more likely to develop the disease, compared with people of other races. Males are more likely to be diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia can occur at any age, but it's most often diagnosed in adults 65 and older. Risk factorsįactors that may increase your risk of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia include: The protein immunoglobulin M (IgM) accumulates in the blood, impairs circulation and causes complications. Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia cells continue trying to produce antibodies, as healthy white blood cells do, but instead they produce abnormal proteins that the body can't use. In the bone marrow - the soft, blood-producing tissue that fills in the center of most of your bones - Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia cells crowd out healthy blood cells. Viscosity: Viscosity is a measure of how thick the blood is. Levels of one of these proteins (IgM) are typically higher than normal in people with WM. Blood tests for immunoglobulins: Samples of your blood might be tested for immunoglobulins (another name for antibodies).
The errors tell the cell to continue multiplying rapidly.īecause cancer cells don't mature and then die as normal cells do, they accumulate, eventually overwhelming production of healthy cells. People with WM may have a low red blood cell count. It's not clear what causes Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.ĭoctors know that the disease begins with one abnormal white blood cell that develops errors (mutations) in its genetic code.
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