Amyloidosis Treatment

Amyloidosis is a rare disease with a mere 4,000 people estimated to be affected each year in the united states. During amyloidosis, a protein called amyloid begins to accumulate within varying tissues or organs, causing dysfunction and even organ failure in advanced cases. There are several subtypes of amyloidosis with light chain (al) amyloidosis being the most common, typically depositing amyloid in the gastrointestinal system, kidneys, heart, or nerves.

While amyloidosis is not cancer in and of itself, it is thought to be associated with cancers such as Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Because it is such a rare disease, amyloidosis is difficult to study, and the prognosis is therefore often uncertain. If the heart or other major organs fail, however, amyloidosis can be fatal.