Key Statistics for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is rare, with an incidence rate of about 3 cases per million people per year in the United States. About 1,000 to 1,500 people are diagnosed with WM each year in the United States.
WM is more common in men than in women, and it is much more common among White people than Black people.
There are few cases of WM in younger people, but the chance of developing this disease goes up as people get older. The average age of people when they are diagnosed with WM is 70.
Statistics on survival are discussed in Survival Rates for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia.
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Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Gertz MA. Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: 2025 Update on Diagnosis, Risk Stratification, and Management. Am J Hematol. 2025;100(6):1061-1073.
Rajkumar SV, Dispenzieri A. Chapter 101: Multiple myeloma and related disorders. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Dorshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier: 2019.
Last Revised: November 17, 2025
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