Current approach to Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a unique, low grade, IgM lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with a heterogeneous clinical course. A paucity of high-grade evidence from large phase 3 trials remains a major issue in the field despite a rapidly expanding therapeutic armamentarium against WM. Prior knowledge of the patients’ MYD88^L265P and CXCR4 mutation status aids in treatment decision making if Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor therapy is being considered. Head-to head comparative data to inform optimal approach are lacking, and a particularly vexing issue for the clinicians is choosing between fixed-duration bendamustine-rituximab (BR) therapy and an indefinite BTK inhibitor-based regimen, given that both approaches are well tolerated and effective, particularly for the patient population harboring MYD88^L265P mutation. For the patients with MYD88^WT genotype, chemo-immunotherapy such as BR is preferred, although zanubrutinib, a potent second generation BTK inhibitor, with its reduced off target effects and greater BTK occupancy compared to its predecessor, ibrutinib, has also recently shown activity in MYD88^WT WM. This review summarizes the current literature pertaining to the diagnosis, prognosis, and the treatment of WM.