Ashley Monroe is an extremely talented singer-songwriter who hails from Tennessee. Over the years, Ashley has grown her music career alone and as part of the Pistol Annies. But now she is facing a different challenge outside of music: a Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) diagnosis. According to MSN, Ashley shared her diagnosis on Instagram in July 2021.

Ashley’s Story

Ashley started chemotherapy for her WM on July 14, 2021. On Instagram, she shared that her journey to diagnosis began a few months prior. During some routine tests, her doctor found out that she was anemic. Although Ashley began taking actions to attempt to “fix” her anemia, her red blood count just kept decreasing.

After further testing, Ashley was finally diagnosed with WM, a rare cancer which begins in lymphocytes, a type of blood cell that normally plays a role in immune health. Currently, the 5-year survival rate of WM is around 78%, with many patients living, on average, around 8 years following diagnosis.

Ashley, though obviously upset and hesitant about her diagnosis, also feels somewhat hopeful. WM can be treated with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. She is working with a team of doctors and is thankful for all of the support she has received from those closest to her.

As Ashley continues on her journey, she only asks one thing: that nobody offers unsolicited medical advice or opinions. However, she does welcome support and prayers as she moves forward.

Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM)

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare lymphoma which begins in B lymphocytes. As the cancer forms, these cells create a macroglobulin (aka: a very large amount) of abnormal immunoglobulin M (IgM). Further, as WM progresses, the blood thickens and becomes hyperviscous. This rare blood cancer typically affects Caucasians more than those of other backgrounds; males more than females; and older individuals (60+). However, it can also affect others. While doctors are not sure exactly what causes WM, MYD88 gene mutations are present in around 90% of diagnoses. Additional risk factors include having an autoimmune disease, having a family history of lymphoma, or having chronic hepatitis C.

WM can be somewhat difficult to detect early. This is because, in many cases, patients are asymptomatic. However, as abnormal B cells develop and proliferate, symptoms do appear. These include:

• Anemia (low red blood cell count)
• Neutropenia (low white blood cell count)
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
• Fatigue and general malaise
• Shortness of breath
• Easy bruising and bleeding
• Frequent infections
• Unintended weight loss
• Fever
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Nosebleeds
• Dizziness or headaches
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty concentrating
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal swelling
• Raised skin lesions
• Hand and foot numbness