International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, whereby the patients usually experience an infiltration of lymphoplasmacytic (cancer) cells in the bone marow. WM is usually an indolent and chronic disease that is treatable, but not yet curable. Approximately 1,500 new cases of WM are diagnosed each year in the US, and about 3,000 worldwide. The median age of diagnosis is 63 years, although some have been diagnosed as early as 19 and as late as 85. Average life expectancy is 11.5 years, although recent improvments in treatment options are providing a more promsing future for patients.