Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is a low- grade lymphoproliferative disorder with monoclonal IgM protein. It is characterized by normocytic, normochromic anemia and lymphoplasmacytic marrow infiltration. Chemotherapy with alkylating agents and steroids has been the standard therapy for patients with symptomatic macroglobulinemia. The purine nucleoside analogues, either alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents are increasingly used, and approximately 40% of patients who have received prior therapy with alkylating agents responded. We experienced a case of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia suc-cessfully treated with three courses of cladribine, who had previously received unsuccessful therapy using an alkylating agent, steroid and plasmapheresis. Treatment was well tolerated except for frequent upper respiratory infections with severe pancytopenia. A marked and sustained bone marrow suppression occurred in this patient but resolved in three months without any severe infection.
Alkylating Agents ; Anemia ; Bone Marrow ; Cladribine* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Pancytopenia ; Plasmapheresis ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Steroids ; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia*