Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: Review of Pathogenesis and Management

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a low-grade B-cell clonal disorder characterized by lymphoplasmacytic bone marrow involvement associated with monoclonal immunoglobulin M. Although WM remains to be an incurable disease with a heterogeneous clinical course, the recent discovery of mutations in the MYD88 and CXCR4 genes further enhanced our understanding of its pathogenesis. Development of new therapies including monoclonal antibodies, proteasome inhibitors, and Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors have made the management of WM increasingly complex. Treatment should be tailored to the individual patient while considering many clinical factors. The clinical outcomes are expected to continue to improve, given the emergence of novel therapeutics and better understanding of the underlying pathogenesis.