title: Multiparameter flow cytometry provides independent prognostic information in patients with suspected myelodysplastic syndromes: A study on 804 patients.
abstract: Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) relies on well-defined cytomorphologic criteria but is challenging in a significant number of patients. The detection of aberrant antigen expression by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) is considered a promising tool to improve MDS diagnostics. We prospectively analyzed 804 unselected patients sent with suspected MDS for correlation of MFC findings with overall survival (OS) in the context of cytomorphologic and cytogenetic findings. Patients with evidence of MDS by MFC had a significantly worse OS as compared to those without (OS at 2 years, 71.2% vs. 89.4%; P<0.001). The number of aberrantly expressed antigens as a continuous variable was significantly associated with OS [P<0.001, hazards ratio (HR): 1.19 per additional aberrantly expressed antigen]. Multivariate analysis proved a diagnosis of MDS by MFC to be independently associated with OS (P=0.050; HR: 1.42). Furthermore, a diagnosis of MDS by MFC was related to inferior survival within all three cytomorphologically defined subgroups, i.e., proven MDS (median OS, 45.4 vs. 52.8 months, P<0.001), suspected MDS (2-year-OS, 75.0% vs. 82.8%; P=0.062), and MDS excluded (2-year-OS, 63.5% vs. 92.8%, P=0.020). Our data clearly demonstrate that, in the assessment of cytopenic patients with suspected MDS, a diagnosis of MDS by MFC is independently associated with OS, which had been shown in previous studies for today's standard diagnostic parameters cytomorphology and cytogenetics. MFC may, therefore, be considered an additional tool in the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected MDS.
authors.affiliation: MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bacher
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haferlach
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alpermann
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnittger
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haferlach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
keywords: diagnosis; multiparameter flow cytometry; myelodysplastic syndromes; prognosis