title: Monitoring of acute myeloid leukemia by flow cytometry.
abstract: Monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) becomes increasingly important in the risk-adapted management of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In selected patients with AML, multiparameter flow cytometry has shown accuracy and sensitivity in the quantification of MRD levels with independent prognostic impact. The applicability of this approach is superior to that of other methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction: Up to 80% of all patients can be monitored by flow cytometry. Nonetheless, significant technical advances are anticipated to extend the applicability of flow cytometry to 100% and to improve its sensitivity. Large clinical trials will determine the role of immunologic monitoring in the prognostic stratification of patients with AML.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Leukemia Diagnostics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, University Hospital Grosshadern, Department of Internal Medicine III, 81366 Munich, Germany. wolfgang.kern@med3.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnittger
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens