Support Line: 0300 373 8500
LPL happens when some white blood cells, called B-cells, don’t mature normally.
Normal B-cells help your body fight infections. They grow in your bone marrow and can turn into plasma cells that make antibodies — special proteins that find and block germs like viruses and bacteria.
In LPL, the B-cells become abnormal lymphoplasmacytic cells that live longer than they should and slowly build up over time. As these cells accumulate alongside healthy blood cells, they begin to crowd them out, making it harder for your body to work as it should.
In people with LPL the lymphoplasmacytic cells often produce large amounts of abnormal antibodies (called paraproteins), or sometimes none at all. As the abnormal lymphoplasmacytic cells crowd out the bone marrow it can affect the normal production of B-cells. This in turn can lead to a reduction in the production of normal antibodies, weakening the immune system making you more likely to get infections.
Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) is a type of LPL. Around 19 in 20 cases of LPL are WM.
If you have WM, your B-cells make too much of a certain protein called IgM. This can make your blood thicker than normal, which may cause symptoms like headaches or vision problems.
Not everyone with LPL has WM. For those who have LPL that is not WM, their abnormal B-cells produce large amounts of a different abnormal protein (usually IgG or IgA) or no proteins at all and is often referred to as non-IgM LPL.
People with non-IgM LPL may experience similar symptoms to those with WM, including headaches, fatigue, increased infections, bruising, bleeding, blurred vision, numbness or tingling and swollen glands.
People with WM may also have additional symptoms including hyperviscosity, which is when the blood becomes too thick.
There’s no cure yet for non-IgM LPL or WM, but treatments can help manage the condition and lead to long periods of remission. Whether you have WM of non-IgM LPL, treatment is the same but will depend on your individual circumstances.
Whether you have been diagnosed with non-IgM LPL or WM, we’re here to support you. Call our nurse-led Support Line or email them anytime for expert advice and friendly, listening ear.
Call us on 0300 373 8500 Monday-Thursday 9am – 5pm or email support@wmuk.org.uk and we’ll respond within 48 hours.