title: Single tube, six-color flow cytometric analysis is a sensitive and cost-effective technique for assaying clonal plasma cells.
abstract: Bone marrow flow cytometric analysis is a powerful and rapid tool for evaluating plasma cell myeloma. By using a noncontrolled patient population in various stages of diagnosis and treatment, we compared 6-color (single-tube) and 4-color (multiple-tube) flow cytometric immunophenotyping protocols. Prospective comparison in 52 cases demonstrated improved ability to detect clonal plasma cells or identical diagnoses in 100% of the cases using 6-color, single-tube analysis. In cases in which 6-color flow cytometric analysis improved detection of a clonal population, concurrent biopsy showed less than 5% involvement by plasma cell myeloma, suggesting that 6-color flow cytometry has an advantage in patients with a low disease burden. In addition, the simplification of the procedure resulted in substantial savings in technologist time and reagent costs. Taken together, this study demonstrates that 6-color flow cytometry is an excellent, cost-effective means to assay for clonal plasma cells in a noncontrolled patient population.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Derek K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Marsee
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dorfman
mesh_terms: D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies