title: Simplified flow cytometric assessment in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome.
abstract: By using flow cytometry with markers for CD3, CD4, CD26, and CD7, we examined the blood samples of 109 patients for abnormal T cells: 69 patients with mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS), 31 hospitalized control subjects, and 9 patients with inflammatory skin disease. T cells were identified as quantitatively abnormal (>15% CD26- or CD7- T cells) or phenotypically abnormal (CD26- or CD7- T cells with bright or dim CD3 or CD4 or bright CD7). Patients were followed for a median of 82 months, and abnormal T cells were correlated with diagnosis, clinical outcome, and other laboratory parameters. Abnormal T-cell populations were identified in 46% of patients with MF/SS (32/69) and correlated with disease extent. Quantitative abnormalities were more frequent than phenotypic abnormalities, and CD4+/CD26- T cells were more frequent than CD4+/CD7- T cells. CD26- T cells correlated better with disease extent than did CD7 -. Increasing numbers of abnormal T cells were associated with worsening disease. Flow cytometry provides valuable information for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic efficacy in MF/SS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA. ahristov@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Alexandra C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hristov
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Vonderheid
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borowitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019011:Antigens, CD7 / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D002648:Child; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019011:Antigens, CD7; D017252:CD3 Complex; C042807:DPP4 protein, human; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4