Diagnostics in Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia: a consensus statement of the European Consortium for Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia
Irene Dogliotti, Cristina Jiménez, Marzia Varettoni, Dipti Talaulikar, Tina Bagratuni, Martina Ferrante, José J. Pérez, Daniela Drandi, Noemí Puig, Milena Gilestro, María García‐Álvarez, Roger G. Owen, Wojciech Jurczak, Alessandra Tedeschi, Véronique Leblond, Efstathios Kastritis, Marie José Kersten, Shirley D’Sa, Michal Kaščák, Wolfgang Willenbacher, Aldo M. Roccaro, Stéphanie Poulain, Pierre Morel, Charalampia Kyriakou, Falko Fend, Josephine M. I. Vos, Meletios Α. Dimopoulos, Christian Buske, Simone Ferrero, Ramón García‐Sánz
Abstract
The diagnosis of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM), an IgM-associated lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, can be challenging due to the different forms of disease presentation. Furthermore, in recent years, WM has witnessed remarkable progress on the diagnostic front, as well as a deeper understanding of the disease biology, which has affected clinical practice. This, together with the increasing variety of tools and techniques available, makes it necessary to have a practical guidance for clinicians to perform the initial evaluation of patients with WM. In this paper, we present the consensus recommendations and laboratory requirements for the diagnosis of WM developed by the European Consortium of Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia (ECWM), for both clinical practice as well as the research/academical setting. We provide the procedures for multiparametric flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization and molecular tests, and with this offer guidance for a standardized diagnostic work-up and methodological workflow of patients with IgM monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance, asymptomatic and symptomatic WM.