Signs and Symptoms of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

Excess protein in your blood can cause it to become too thick. This is not the kind of thickness that can be treated with drugs known as blood thinners.

When blood gets too thick, it has trouble moving through blood vessels. In some cases, this can slow blood flow to your brain, leading to symptoms like headaches, seizures, or those from a stroke.

It can also slow down the blood flow in small blood vessels, like the vessels in your eyes, leading to blurred vision or blind spots.

If the M protein only thickens the blood in cooler parts of your body like the tip of your nose, ears, fingers, or toes, it is called a cryoglobulin. Cryoglobulins can cause pain or other problems in these areas when you are exposed to cooler temperatures.

Part of the IgM antibody, called the light chain, can build up in organs like your heart and kidneys. This is called amyloidosis. This buildup can lead to heart and kidney problems.

In some people with WM, the abnormal antibody can attack and damage nerves outside the brain. This can lead to numbness in your feet and legs, called neuropathy. Neuropathy in WM is usually painless.

The abnormal antibodies made by the B cells of WM can cause hemolysis (breakdown) of red blood cells. This can lead to anemia and fatigue.

This is one of the most common symptoms of WM.

When WM cells crowd out normal cells in your bone marrow, you can end up with too few red blood cells. This can lead to anemia and cause fatigue. The cancer cells also use up a lot of energy as they grow and divide, which can cause you to feel tired.

Fevers in WM can be caused by inflammation from cancer cells or by infections when your immune system is weakened.

Inflammatory proteins made by cancer cells in many types of lymphoma can trigger night sweats.

Lymphoma cells, including WM cells, use a lot of energy to grow and divide. Some people experience weight loss because of this. WM can also cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and belly pain, which can make it difficult to eat enough food.

These usually appear as lumps under the skin around your neck, in your groin, or in your armpits. Enlarged lymph nodes are usually about 1 or 2 inches (2.5–5 cm) across.

They are seen less often in WM than in most other lymphomas.

WM can sometimes make your spleen and/or liver big, causing your belly to look swollen.

Sometimes when your spleen and/or liver get larger, these organs can press on your stomach and make you feel full even when you’ve only had a small amount of food.

WM can affect your lungs and cause fluid buildup or, rarely, masses. If WM affects your lungs, it can cause cough, shortness of breath, or chest pains.

WM can cause your intestines to have trouble absorbing nutrients, leading to malnutrition and diarrhea. It can also cause other problems like gastrointestinal bleeding or a blockage in the intestines.

Masses of B cells in the kidneys or near the kidneys can be seen in WM.

WM B cells that collect in your skin can cause plaques (raised patches) or nodules (bumps).