Waldenström's macroglobulinemia pathophysiology

The clinical manifestations of Waldenström Macroglobulinemia depend on two different factors.

• Hyperviscosity syndrome & vascular complications due to secretion of Monoclonal igM.

• IgM paraprotein occasionally has:
• Rheumatoid factor activity,
• antimyelin activity that can contribute to peripheral neuropathy, and
• Immunologically related lupus anticoagulant activity.

• Infiltration of bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes by neoplastic lymphoplasmacytic cells.

• Less commonly, infiltration of liver, lungs, GI tract, kidneys, skin, eyes, and central nervous system (CNS) can also occur.