Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, affects approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people in the United States each year. Although it is not curable, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia is grow slowly, and in many patients, it is manageable as a chronic disease. To that end, it is important for patients diagnosed with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia to have access to up-to-date disease management information to work alongside their treatment teams to make informed care decisions.
To give patients access to the same treatment information their doctors use, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) has published the NCCN Guidelines for Patients and NCCN Quick Guide™ sheet for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Provided through support from the NCCN Foundation, these educational resources inform patients and caregivers about available treatment options.
Shaji Kumar, MD
“The treatment approach to patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia has significantly changed in recent years with better understanding of the disease biology and its natural history and availability of new drugs, allowing for a more individualized approach. The revised guidelines reflect these changes and will be a valuable guide for patients in shared decision-making with their oncologists,” said Shaji Kumar, MD, of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and Chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia.
These resources are accessible free of charge on NCCN.org/patients, as well as on the free NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer mobile app, available for Android and iOS devices. ■
