title: Risk stratification in Waldenström macroglobulinemia.
abstract: Waldenström macroglobulinemia is characterized by the production of serum monoclonal IgM and lymphoplasmacytic bone marrow infiltration. At least 25% of patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis and treatment is only mandatory in cases of symptomatic disease. Beside reports on treatment results, reviewing risk assessment is another way to describe the clinical course of the disease. This information may be particularly useful when numerous treatment options are available. While the introduction of new treatment approaches reinforces the need for careful risk assessment, the identification of useful prognostic information requires prolonged follow-up in patients who have not been treated with current therapeutic options. This limitation should be taken into account when using and interpreting available prognostic information, especially survival estimates.
authors.affiliation: Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy. pmorel@ch-lens.fr
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Merlini
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents