The UK charity for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia – a rare type of blood cancer

Support Line: 0300 373 8500

What is the immune system?

Immune system

Protects your body from infection. Certain white blood cells – lymphocytes – recognise the cells that belong in your body and try to get rid of any that don’t, like germs. In people with WM, a type of lymphocytes, the B-cells, start to develop incorrectly.

WM Glossary

With a diagnosis of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia, you may be coming across new and unfamiliar words. Look them up in our WM glossary below.

Active monitoring

B-cells / B Lymphocytes

BCL-2 inhibitors

Beta-2 microglobulin

Bing Neel Syndrome (BNS)

Blood viscosity

Bone marrow aspiration

Bone marrow biopsy

Bone marrow trephine

CAR T-cell therapy

Checkpoint inhibitors

Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)

Clinical oncologist

Cold agglutinin disease (CAD)

Computerised tomography (CT) scan

Cryoglobulinaemia

Cyclophosphamide

Full blood count (FBC)

Hyperviscosity Syndrome (HVS)

Immunomodulators

Lymphoplasmacytic cells (LPL cells)

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)

Monoclonal antibody therapies

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)

Occupational therapist (OT)

Palliative care specialist

Peripheral Neuropathy (PN)

Physiotherapist

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Prehabilitation

Proteasome inhibitors

Psychologist or counsellor

Red blood cells

Serum immunoglobulin

Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia (WM)

White blood cells

The UK charity for Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinaemia

WMUK, Foden House, 47 London Road,
Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7JT

© 2022 WMUK

Registered as a charity in England and Wales (1187121).

A company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (12358324).

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Support Line: 0300 373 8500

General enquiries: 0300 303 5870