title: Minimal residual disease detection using flow cytometry: Applications in acute leukemia.
abstract: Minimal residual disease (MRD) describes disease that can be diagnosed by methodologies other than conventional morphology, and includes molecular methods (like polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) or flow cytometry (FCM). Detection and monitoring of MRD is becoming the standard of care, considering its importance in predicting the treatment outcome. MRD aids in identifying high-risk patients and hence therapy can be intensified in them while deintensification of therapy can prevent long-term sequelae of chemotherapy in low-risk category. FCM is considered as a less labor-intensive and faster MRD technique as compared to PCR although it has its own share of disadvantages. Current immune-based methodologies for detection of MRD depend on establishing leukemia-associated aberrant immunophenotype (LAIP), at diagnosis or relapse and use this information at specified time points for detection of MRD, or apply a standardized panel of antibody combinations for all MRD cases, in a different-from-normal approach. This review highlights MRD detection by FCM and its application in acute leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Commandant, 166 Military Hospital, C/o 56 APO, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Immunohaematology & Blood Transfusion, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mallhi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
keywords: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); Acute myeloid leukemia (AML); Flow cytometry; Minimal residual disease (MRD)