A condition affecting about 1 in 1,500 people in which deposits of complex protein, known as amyloid, are found in various parts of the body, most commonly kidney, heart, nerves and muscle. It is a degenerative condition which can lead to organ failure complicating various conditions such as MYELOMATOSIS, certain types of CHEMOTHERAPY, chronic inflammation, including CROHN'S DISEASE and rheumatoid arthritis as well as a rare hereditary type.