title: Targeted pathologic evaluation of bone marrow donors identifies previously undiagnosed marrow abnormalities.
abstract: Potential bone marrow donors are screened to ensure the safety of both the donor and recipient. At our institution, potential donors with abnormal peripheral blood cell counts, a personal history of malignancy, or age >60 years are evaluated to ensure that they are viable candidates for donation. Evaluation of the marrow includes morphologic, flow cytometric, and cytogenetic studies. A total of 122 potential donors were screened between the years of 2001 and 2011, encompassing approximately 10% of all donors. Of the screened potential donors, the mean age was 59 years and there were 59 men and 63 women. The donors were screened because of age >60 years (n = 33), anemia (n = 22), cytopenias other than anemia (n = 27), elevated peripheral blood counts without a concurrent cytopenia (n = 20), elevated peripheral blood counts with a concurrent cytopenia (n = 10), history of malignancy (n = 4), abnormal peripheral blood differential (n = 3), prior graft failure (n = 1), history of treatment with chemotherapy (n = 1), and body habitus (n = 1). Marrow abnormalities were detected in 9% (11 of 122) of donors. These donors were screened because of anemia (5 of 22, 23%), age >60 years (2 of 33, 6%), history of malignancy (2 of 4, 50%), elevated peripheral blood counts (1 of 20, 5%), and body habitus (1 of 1, 100%). Abnormalities included plasma cell dyscrasia (n = 3), abnormal marrow cellularity (n = 3), clonal cytogenetic abnormalities (n = 2), low-grade myelodysplastic syndrome (1), a mutated JAK2 V617F allele (n = 1), and monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis (n = 1). Our experience indicates that extended screening of potential donors identifies a significant number of donors with previously undiagnosed marrow abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tilson
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sexauer
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Morsberger
authors.forename: Denise A S
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Small
authors.forename: Kathleen H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gocke
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vuica-Ross
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borowitz
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Duffield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003582:Cytogenetics; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014019:Tissue Donors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cytogenetics; Donor; Flow cytometry; Histology; Marrow; Pathology