Where Can I Learn More? For more information on LECT2 , how you can contribute to better understand- ing it, or to learn more about clinical trials, please visit and register at the following web- sites:

• ALect2 Alliance: http://www.lect2.org • Amyloidosis Support Groups: http://www.amyloidosissupport.org/ 1-866-404-7539 • The Amyloidosis Foundation: http://www.amyloidosis.org/index.html Being diagnosed with a rare disease that little 1-877- is known about would be scary for anyone. The • Mayo Clinic - Amyloidosis Page ALect2 Alliance was formed to provide updated http://mayocl.in/1zqX2cv LECT2 Amyloidosis information on this disease, and to provide a • Boston University Amyloidosis Center: point of contact for patients and family members http://www.bu.edu/amyloid/ to discuss their experiences. (ALect2)

We hope to be a part of helping the community of researchers and patients come together to What is it? work toward finding a cure for this disease. Find out more information about this disease and our organization by visiting: How is it Diagnosed? http://www.lect2.org

Can it be Treated? http://www.lect2.org [email protected]

Lect-2 Patient Brochure.indd 1 2/19/2015 2:41:23 PM What are the Symptoms? Kidney failure and its associated symptoms are typically present due to LECT2 deposits in What is Amyloidosis? the kidneys. Symptoms can include appetite loss, Amyloidosis occurs when form improp- fatigue, headaches, itching and dry skin, nausea, erly, causing them to deposit abnormally in other- and swelling of the legs. wise normal tissue. Once the abnormal protein is trapped in the tissue, it commonly leads to organ Is There a Genetic Link? failure. The kidney is the most commonly affected There is no clear genetic cause at this time, but organ. this type of amyloidosis has been found in sib- lings in the past. Additional research is needed to determine if there is a genetic link. What is LECT2 Amyloidosis? There are different types of amyloi- Can it be Treated? dosis and different proteins cause There are no treatment options at this time, be- each one. Some are genetically What are the Risk Factors? yond treatment of the symptoms. It is important linked and some are not. LECT2 The only risk factor currently identified is the cor- to note that cancer-focused treatments like che- amyloidosis (ALect2) makes up relation between LECT2 Amyloidosis and elderly motherapy do not help 5% of amyloidosis cases and patients from Mexican descent who have chronic LECT2 Amyloidosis, has not yet been found kidney disease. and should be to have a clear genetic avoided. link. However, patients However, research with ALect2 tend to be How is it Diagnosed? can help provide older (over 50 years of age), The only way to diagnose LECT2 Amyloidosis at treatments in the and in the United States, are often from Mexican this time is by kidney biopsy. This is an invasive future. For more descent. Other groups have also been found to procedure, and should only be considered in information on, or to have higher incidence rates, such as First Nations patients with clinical evidence of kidney disease inquire about upcom- Peoples in Canada, Punjabis, Sudanese, and some who might benefit from knowing its cause. ing clinical trials for poten- Native American groups. For people in these pop- Once the kidney biopsy is performed, a series of tial new therapies, please visit: ulations with slowly progressive chronic kidney tests will be done on the sample to determine http://www.lect2.org disease, LECT2 amyloidosis should be suspected. what is causing the kidney disease. If amyloidosis is found, additional tests will be performed on the kidney biopsy to determine the type of amyloido- sis present.

ALect2 Alliance

Lect-2 Patient Brochure.indd 2 2/19/2015 2:41:29 PM