title: Role of Flow Cytometry in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Plasma Cell Myeloma.
abstract: This article provides an overview of the role of flow cytometry in the diagnosis and follow-up of plasma cell myeloma. A brief introduction to the general immunophenotypic features of normal and myeloma plasma cells is provided, followed by a discussion of technical issues as they relate to the application of flow cytometry in this entity. The prognostic and therapeutic utility of flow cytometric immunophenotyping in myeloma is also analyzed, with an emphasis on the growing role of minimal residual analysis as potential biomarker for evaluating treatment efficacy and for tailoring risk-adapted treatment, in prospective clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. Electronic address: holteanu@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Horatiu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olteanu
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Flow cytometry; MGUS; Minimal residual disease; Myeloma; Plasma cells