C88.0: Waldenström macroglobulinaemia

Waldenström macroglobulinaemia, also known as Waldenström's disease, is a rare type of cancer that impacts the body's lymphatic system, particularly the white blood cells. The disease occurs when your body creates too many abnormal white blood cells in your bone marrow. These abnormal white blood cells produce a protein known as a monoclonal protein that can harm other body cells, leading to various symptoms. Common symptoms include weakness, fatigue, weight loss, and frequent bruising. By disrupting the normal function of your blood and immune system, the disease can progress over time and result in complications like anemia, easy bleeding, and nerve damage. Waldenström's disease usually affects adults over the age of 50 and is slightly more common in men than women. The exact causes are unknown, though it is thought to arise from DNA mutations in bone marrow cells.