Amyloidosis is a disorder that impacts several of the body’s systems. As such, its symptoms can be present in a multitude of ways, as follows:

• Nephrotic symptoms, which, in severe cases, can cause inflammation throughout the body, including the hands and feet
• Thickening of the heart muscle, leads to arrhythmia or a weakened pulse
• Numbness in the extremities of the fingers and toes
• Macroglossia (enlargement of the tongue)
• Bruising throughout the body
• A sudden loss of weight, stomach pains, nausea, and loss of appetite  

Early diagnosis of this condition is a key factor that increases the chances of survival for the patient and can help ensure a high quality of life following treatments. Diagnosis can take a variety of forms, as follows:

• A review of the patient’s medical history is crucial to a successful diagnosis, so doctors must be thorough in their questioning, exploring all suspicions and applying their expertise to the situation in order to detect this condition at its outset.
• Blood and urine tests will provide an analysis of liver and kidney function.
• An endoscopy may be used to assess the upper and lower GI situation.
• An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) - guided liver biopsy will enable doctors to confirm an amyloid deposit in the liver
• CT scans, MRI scans, and PET scans may also be utilized.

Amyloidosis can be treated using chemotherapy drugs combined with medication used to control the protein production of a specific type of white blood cell called plasma cells Currently, the most effective drugs used to treat patients diagnosed with AL amyloidosis are daratumumab when used alongside cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (CyBorD). Indeed, statistics show that 96% of patients respond well to treatment using this combination, while up to 54% of cases can be cured using the aforementioned mixture of drugs. If patients are experiencing severe symptoms, medical staff may consider stem cell transplant treatment. Alternatively, for patients who receive a diagnosis in the latter stages of the condition, when there has already been serious protein accumulation in the heart and liver, a liver or heart transplant may be required.

Amyloidosis is not a condition that can be prevented. Therefore, patients with underlying health issues who suspect the presence of such a disorder should seek urgent medical attention as an early diagnosis will enable timely treatment, which can increase the chances of survival as well as allow for a long and healthy life thereafter. In addition to being difficult to detect and diagnose, resulting in delayed treatment, the true causes of amyloidosis are often left undetected until after the patient has already passed away. Timely detection, a multidisciplinary team approach, and available standard-of-care treatments are vital for life-changing outcomes. Choosing the right hospital with a highly experienced and evidence-based teams and the availability of the latest medical technologies as well as comprehensive treatment options is critical.