According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, amyloidosis is a condition in which an abnormal protein called an amyloid enters a vital organ in the body and interferes with its function. Amyloid proteins are abnormal antibodies produced by plasma cells, which are white blood cells manufactured in the bone marrow. Normal antibodies made by plasma cells fight off infection and are then broken down. In amyloidosis the abnormal antibodies do not get broken down but instead find their way into tissues and organs. Treatment includes the use of chemotherapy drugs and stem cell transplantation.
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
The American Society of Clinical Oncology notes that chemotherapy drugs most often find use as a way of killing abnormal cells like cancer cells. Cyclophosphamide is a chemotherapeutic agent that is used to treat amyloidosis because it can kill abnormal plasma cells which are the source of the amyloid proteins that damage organs in the body. According to Drugs.com, cyclophosphamide is prescribed for use as a tablet or as an oral solution. While you are undergoing the chemotherapeutic regimen, your doctor will administer blood tests and adjust the dose so that your white blood cell count does not get too low. A possible side effect of treatment is bladder damage caused by cyclophosphamide metabolites that are excreted in the urine. You can minimize this possibility by drinking 3 to 4 liters of fluid a day to stimulate frequent urination, says Drugs.com.
Chlorambucil (Leukeran)
Chlorambucil is a chemotherapeutic drug that can treat amyloidosis by killing the abnormal plasma cells that produce the amyloid proteins responsible for organ damage, says the American Society of Clinical Oncology. According to the Mayo Clinic, chlorambucil is an oral prescription cancer treatment that belongs to a class of drugs called alkylating agents. Your doctor will devise a dosing regimen specifically for your condition, and you should take the medication exactly as prescribed. Chlorambucil may lower your white blood cell count so you may be more susceptible to infection while taking the drug, says the Mayo Clinic. Other side effects may include blood in your urine or stools, painful or difficult urination with fever or chills, and unusual bleeding or bruising. Check with your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
Stem Cell Transplantation
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, stem cell transplantation is another treatment for amyloidosis. The goal of this procedure is to destroy the abnormal plasma cells responsible for the harmful amyloid proteins and then introduce blood stem cells to produce healthy bone marrow. If you elect to have this procedure, you will receive high doses of chemotherapy to destroy the abnormal plasma cells and the bone marrow that created them. Then you will receive blood stem cells intravenously, and over the course of 10 to 21 days these cells will produce new bone marrow and restore white and red blood cell and platelet counts.
