Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a type of non-Hod gkin lympho ma (NHL) that produces large amounts of an abnormal protein (called a macroglobulin ). Another name
for WM is lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. This condition used to be called
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia , so some people refer to it as Waldenstrom's .
The lymphoma cells in WM grow mainly in the bone marrow, where they can crowd out
the normal cells that make the different blood cells. This can lead to low levels of red
blood cells (called anemia ), which can make peop le feel tired and weak. It can also cause
low numbers of white blood cells, which makes it hard for the body to fight infection.
The numbers of platelets in the blood can also drop, leading to increased bleeding and
bruising.
Lymphoma cells can also grow in organs like the liver and spleen, causin g these organs
to swell, leading to abdo minal pain. The macroglobulin made by the lymp homa cells can
cause other problems as well.
