Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a blood cancer that shares some similarities with myeloma, which is why the two can sometimes be confused. Both involve abnormal cells building up in the bone marrow and both produce abnormal proteins. Think of them like jam and jelly — similar, but with important differences! Here's Show Full Answer
Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a blood cancer that shares some similarities with myeloma, which is why the two can sometimes be confused. Both involve abnormal cells building up in the bone marrow and both produce abnormal proteins. Think of them like jam and jelly — similar, but with important differences! Here's how they compare:
What's similar:
- Both affect bone marrow
- Both produce abnormal antibodies (M protein)
- Both can cause fatigue, weight loss, anemia, and neuropathy
Key differences:
- Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells; WM involves a mix of cell types
- WM primarily produces IgM antibodies (larger), while myeloma usually produces IgG
- Bone pain is more common and often an early sign in myeloma
- They require different treatments Doctors can tell them apart through bone marrow biopsies and genetic testing. A specific gene mutation called MYD88 L265P is found in about 90% of WM cases but rarely in myeloma.
If there's ever any concern about a misdiagnosis, it's always worth discussing with a specialist. Getting the right diagnosis is crucial since the treatments differ significantly.
September 5
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