Epidemiology

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare disorder. In the US in 2016, there were an estimated 1270 new cases of WM.[5]

WM most commonly occurs in older white men (ages >70 years).[6][7][8][9][10]​​

In one US study using Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data (1980-2016), an age-adjusted annual incidence rate of 0.48 per 100,000 was reported.[6]​ WM annual incidence increased with age, from 0.06 per 100,000 in those ages under 50 years to 3.2 per 100,000 in those ages 80 years and over.[6] WM incidence was higher in men than women (0.65 per 100,000 vs. 0.36 per 100,000, respectively) and in white people than black people (0.52 per 100,000 vs. 0.29 per 100,000, respectively).[6]​ In the US, median age at diagnosis is 73 years.[7]

In one UK study using registry data from 1999 to 2001, the age-adjusted annual incidence rate of WM was 0.55 per 100,000.[10]​ Annual incidence increased with age and was higher in men than women (0.73 per 100,000 vs. 0.42 per 100,000, respectively). Median age at diagnosis was 75 years.[10]

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