Amyloidosis
TreatingAL amyloidosis
There are currently no treatments available that can directly remove the amyloid deposits associated with AL amyloidosis. Treatment aims to prevent the further production of abnormal light chains while monitoring and treating any problems affecting your organs.
This can give your body enough time to gradually clear the deposits before they build up again and can help prevent organ damage.
In most cases, this will involve having chemotherapy to damage the abnormal bone marrow cells and inhibit production of the abnormal proteins.
You will also need treatment for organ failure for example, you may need diuretic medication to treat heart failure and you may need dialysis if you have kidney failure.
Some people with kidney failure may be suitable to receive a kidney transplant , although the underlying bone marrow disorder will need to be suppressed by chemotherapy to prevent build-up of amyloid in the new kidney.
After chemotherapy, you will need regular check-ups every six to 12 months to look for signs of the condition returning (relapsing). If it does relapse at any stage, chemotherapy may need to be started again.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Amyloidosis is a group of rare but serious conditions caused by deposits of abnormal protein, called amyloid, in tissues and organs throughout the body.
Signs and symptoms of AL amyloidosis
AL amyloidosis can affect any organ, and the symptoms depend on which organs are affected. Most oftenamyloid is deposited in the kidneys and may cause kidney failure. Symptoms of kidney failure can i
What causes AL amyloidosis?
AL amyloidosis occurs when an abnormality in the plasma cells found in bone marrow (the spongy tissue at the centre of some bones) results in the excessive production of proteins called 'light chains'
DiagnosingAL amyloidosis
Diagnosis of AL amyloidosis can be challenging, since the symptoms are often very general. The diagnosis can be confirmed by removing a biopsy (small tissue sample) from the affected part of the bod
TreatingAL amyloidosis
There are currently no treatments available that can directly remove the amyloid deposits associated with AL amyloidosis. Treatment aims to prevent the further production of abnormal light chains whil
Outlook
Before effective treatments for AL amyloidosis were discovered, the outlook for the condition was poor, with many people only living for a few months. With modern treatments, the outlook varies depen
Information about you
If you have amyloidosis, your clinical team will pass information about you on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS). This helps scientists look for bett
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