Treatment

There's no cure for amyloidosis. But treatment can help manage signs and symptoms and limit further production of amyloid protein. If the amyloidosis has been triggered by another condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or tuberculosis, treating the underlying condition can be helpful.

Medications

• Chemotherapy. Many of the same types of medicines used to treat some forms of cancer are used in AL amyloidosis to stop the growth of abnormal cells that produce the protein leading to formation of amyloid.
• Heart medications. If your heart is affected, your doctor may suggest blood thinners to reduce the risk of clots and medications to control your heart rate. You may also need to restrict your salt intake and take drugs that increase urination, which can reduce the strain on your heart and kidneys.
• Targeted therapies. For certain types of amyloidosis, drugs such as patisiran (Onpattro) and inotersen (Tegsedi) can interfere with the commands sent by faulty genes that create amyloid. Other drugs, such as tafamidis (Vyndamax, Vyndaqel) and diflunisal, can stabilize bits of protein in the bloodstream and prevent them from getting transformed into amyloid deposits.

Surgical and other procedures

• Autologous blood stem cell transplant. This procedure involves collecting your own stem cells from your blood through a vein and storing them for a short time while you have high-dose chemotherapy. The stem cells are then returned to your body via a vein. This treatment is most appropriate for people whose disease isn't advanced and whose heart isn't greatly affected.
• Dialysis. If your kidneys have been damaged by amyloidosis, you may need to start dialysis. This procedure uses a machine to filter wastes, salts and fluid from your blood on a regular schedule.
• Organ transplant. Your doctor might suggest surgery to replace your heart or kidneys if amyloid deposits have severely damaged those organs. Some types of amyloid are formed in the liver, so a liver transplant could halt that production.