title: Four-color flow cytometric analysis of myeloma plasma cells.
abstract: We monitored the behavior of residual myeloma plasma cells in patients with multiple myeloma after high-dose therapy and autologous or allogeneic transplantation using 3 methods of a flow cytometric technique using 4-color staining, immunofixation, and polymerase chain reaction approaches. We analyzed 17 cases by a relatively simple flow cytometric technique using CD38/CD45/CD19/CD56. Detectable myeloma plasma cells were found in 5 patients at diagnosis and 9 patients after treatment. Of 14 cases, 9 (64%) had CD19-CD56+ myeloma plasma cells, and 5 (36%) of 14 had CD19-CD56- myeloma plasma cells. When 37 bone marrow samples that had less than 5% myeloma plasma cells were assessed, myeloma plasma cells were detected in all 20 immunofixation-positive cases and 3 of 17 immunofixation-negative cases (P = .002). All 4 polymerase chain reaction-negative samples characterized as immunofixation-negative contained no detectable myeloma plasma cells. Flow cytometry can provide effective information to detect low levels of myeloma plasma cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Laboratory, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hyo
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amitani
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Chizuko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Rika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motomura
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maruta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D008558:Melphalan