Waldenström macroglobulinemia overview
You are at the center of everything we do at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). Here, we surround you with a team of specialists who work together closely to provide expert care and compassionate support throughout your treatment and beyond.
We guide you every step of the way, combining our deep clinical expertise in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) with a commitment to meet your unique needs.
Why choose SCCA?
- Experienced diagnosis and care
Because WM is so rare, most hematologist-oncologists in the community have seen only a handful of people with this condition. At SCCA, we’ve treated more than 200 people with WM in the past five years — experience that translates into state-of-the-art diagnosis and care for you. - Comprehensive WM treatment
Although WM is lymphoma, it’s a unique type, and many of the usual tenets of lymphoma care do not apply. To receive the most effective treatment for your disease — and avoid overtreatment — it’s important to see doctors with expertise in WM, like our team at SCCA. We provide all forms of treatment for this disease. - Advancing new approaches
Along with offering the latest chemotherapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapies, we’re involved in Waldenström macroglobulinemia clinical trials to develop new options to suppress or kill WM cells. To advance care for patients everywhere, we collaborate with WM experts at other research and treatment centers. - Bone marrow transplant for WM
The Fred Hutch Bone Marrow Transplant Program at SCCA consistently achieves higher-than-expected transplant survival rates. We pioneered bone marrow transplants and have performed more than any other institution in the world. Dr. David Maloney is an international expert in transplants for WM. - A national leader in cancer care
SCCA is the leading cancer treatment center in the region and among the top nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report. - NCI comprehensive cancer center
We are a comprehensive cancer center, a designation from the National Cancer Institute that reflects our scientific leadership and the depth and breadth of our research to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Treatment
Treatment for Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) differs from treatment for other types of lymphoma and must be tailored to each individual. It’s important to be treated at a specialized center with expertise in WM. But because the condition is rare, many hospitals and clinics do not have much experience with it.
Providers
At SCCA, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes physicians, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Clinical trials
For Waldenström macroglobulinemia patients, this means more treatment options at SCCA than you might find elsewhere, including the chance to participate in one of many ongoing clinical trials conducted at SCCA and its parent organizations, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and UW Medicine.