LYMPHOPLASMACYTIC LYMPHOMA

Course overview

LYMPHOPLASMACYTIC LYMPHOMA, ALSO KNOWN AS WALDENSTROM MACROGLOBULINEMIA, IS A LOW-GRADE B CELL LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE NEOPLASM CHARACTERIZED BY SMALL LYMPHOCYTES AND MONOCLONAL IGM MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY. THE DISORDER PRESENTS WITH SYMPTOMS RELATED TO BONE MARROW INFILTRATION AND IGM MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY. LYMPHOPLASMACYTIC LYMPHOMA IS A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION; A DIAGNOSIS SHOULD ONLY BE RENDERED AFTER THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER SMALL B CELL LYMPHOMAS. WALDENSTROM MACROGLOBULINEMIA WAS DESCRIBED IN 1944 BY JAN G. WALDENSTROM, WHO REPORTED AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION OF LYMPHADENOPATHY BLEEDING, ANEMIA, ELEVATED SEDIMENTATION RATE, HYPERVISCOSITY, AND HYPERGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA IN TWO PATIENTS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF WALDENSTROM MACROGLOBULINEMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.