Utilizing multiparametric flow cytometry in the diagnosis of patients with primary plasma cell leukemia

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: The diagnosis of primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) has been made by quantifying circulating plasma cells (cPCs) morphologically on a peripheral blood (PB) smear. However, this technique is not sufficiently sensitive. Multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) provides a readily available and highly sensitive method to identify and quantify cPCs that could complement PB smear assessment. However, an optimal quantitative cutoff for cPCs by MFC to identify pPCL has not been established. Thus, a total of 591 patients newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients who had their PB samples evaluated morphologically by PB smear, and immunophenotypically by MFC prior to beginning therapy were evaluated. The presence of ≥200 cPCs/μL by MFC (N = 25 or 5% of the total population) was chosen to identify patients with ≥5% cPCs by PB smear with a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of 77%. For patients with ≥200 cPCs/μL by MFC compared to the remainder of the cohort, the median Time to next therapy (TTNT) was 18 vs 30 months and the median OS was 38 vs 70 months respectively. Thus, MFC assessment of PB can be utilized in conjunction with the morphological assessment of a PB smear to aid in improving the identification of pPCL among NDMM patients.

Source: American Journal of Hematology

DOI: 10.1002/ajh.25773

Institutions: Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University

Language: English

Topic: Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments

Subfield: Hematology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

Awards: G1016754749, G219020131, G2269554244, Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS), G655764021, G686564698

OpenAlex ID: W3010224914