AL Amyloidosis: Identifying Patients, Implementing Care

Light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a rare clonal plasma cell disorder characterized by organ deposition of amyloid protein, results in progressive organ damage that is usually irreversible. Prompt treatment is critical to achieving the best possible outcomes, but rapid initiation of treatment requires early, accurate diagnosis, which is often delayed because of the nonspecific nature of the symptoms. Unfortunately, delayed diagnosis is a grave concern, as the median survival rate among some untreated patients is approximately 6 months following symptom onset.

A high index of suspicion and appropriate testing are needed to make a diagnosis of AL amyloidosis, but the significant delays and multiple physician visits patients typically encounter (many patients report seeing at least five physicians, including cardiologists and nephrologists, before receiving a diagnosis) indicate that clinicians continue to be confounded by this condition’s highly variable clinical presentation.

Therapies for AL amyloidosis target the aberrant plasma/B-cell clone and have traditionally been based on regimens adapted from the expanding treatment options available for multiple myeloma; recently, however, the FDA has approved a therapy specifically for use in patients with AL amyloidosis.

This activity features a roundtable discussion with a multidisciplinary panel of experts on the latest information on evidence-based diagnosis and treatment guidelines for patients with AL amyloidosis.