Sandbox:Joban

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Joban Ghuman, M.B.B.S.[2]

monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

\Monoclonal gammopathies are conditions in which abnormal proteins (antibodies) are found in the blood. These proteins are produced from a small number of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell. Their main job is to make antibodies to fight infection.

Monoclonals-gl

File:Monoclonals-gl.png

Monoclonals-gl

High-power field of peripheral blood smear revealing a large, atypical B cell with mild cytoplasmic expansion, coarse chromatin, multiple distinct nucleoli and peripheral vacuolation.Source: Charakidis M. et al, Department of Haematology-Oncology, Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania, 7000, Australia.

Classification of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) and Related Disorders

Criteria	Symptomatic WM	Asymptomatic WM	IgM-Related Disorders	MGUS
IgM monoclonal protein	+	+	+	+
Bone marrow infiltration	+	+	-	-
Symptoms attributable to IgM	+	-	+	-
Symptoms attributable to tumor infiltration	+	-	-	-