blood disorders
Macroglobulinemia
Introduction
Macroglobulinemia is a plasma cell cancer in which a single clone of plasma cells produces excessive amounts of a certain type of large antibody (IgM) called macroglobulins. Although many people have no symptoms, some people have abnormal bleeding, recurring bacterial infections, and bone fractures due to severe osteoporosis. Blood tests and bone marrow examination are needed to make the diagnosis. Macroglobulinemia is not curable, but progression can be slowed with chemotherapy drugs. Plasma cells develop from B cells ( B cells ), a type of white blood cell that normally produces Men are affected by macroglobulinemia more often than women, and the average age at which the disorder appears is 65 years. Its cause is unknown. 