Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Synonyms

• Hyperglobulinemic Purpura
• Macroglobulinemia
• Waldenstroem's Macroglobulinemia
• Waldenstrom's Purpura
• Waldenstrom's Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WMG) is a malignant disorder of the blood, closely related to lymphoma and characterized by the presence of abnormally large numbers of a particular kind of white blood cell known as B lymphocytes. As these cells accumulate in the body, excessive quantities of an antibody known as IgM are produced. This causes the blood to become thick (hyperviscosity) and affects the flow of blood through the smaller blood vessels, leading to the symptoms of the disorder. The organs fed by these small blood vessels do not receive sufficient blood and oxygen, potentially resulting in partial or complete failure of the organ.

Resources

American Cancer Society, Inc.
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
USA
Tel: 4043203333
Tel: 8002272345
Internet: http://www.cancer.org

NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
31 Center Drive MSC 2480
Building 31A Rm 4A16
Bethesda, MD 20892-2480
Tel: (301)592-8573
Fax: (240)629-3246
Email: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

National Cancer Institute
6116 Executive Blvd, MSC 8322, Room 3036A
Bethesda, MD 20892-8322
USA
Tel: 3014353848
Tel: 8004226237
TDD: 8003328615
Internet: http://www.cancer.gov

International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation
3932D Swift Road
Sarasota, FL 34231
USA
Tel: 9419274963
Fax: 9419274467
Email: info@iwmf.com
Internet: http://www.iwmf.com

Friends of Cancer Research
2231 Crystal Drive
Suite 200
Arlington, VA 22202
Tel: (703)302-1503
Fax: (703)302-1568
Email: info@focr.org
Internet: http://www.focr.org

UCSF Hemophilia Treatment Center
400 Parnassus Ave.
First Floor
San Francisco, CA 94143
Tel: (415)353-2986
Fax: (415)353-2600
Internet: http://www.ucsfhealth.org/adult/medical_services/blood/hemophilia/index.html

People Living With Cancer
1900 Duke Street
Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: (703)299-0150
Fax: (703)684-8618
Tel: (888)651-3038
Email: contactus@plwc.org
Internet: http://www.plwc.org

Wellness Community
919 18th Street N.W.
Suite 54
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202)659-9709
Fax: (202)659-9301
Tel: (888)793-9355
Email: help@thewellnesscommunity.org
Internet: http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated: 4/19/2006
Copyright 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.