Onkológia 3/2014

Laborathory diagnosis of CLL: cytology, flow cytometry

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a heterogeneous disorder entity; it is characterized by the expansion of a mature, antigenstimulated B-cell. Immunophenotype is very stable and well distinguishable (CD19+, CD20+, CD22-/+, CD23+, CD5+). However, changes can occur, especially during the transformation to more aggressive form of the disease. At present, early and accurate diagnosis, targeted treatment and supportive therapy seem to be a prerequisite for successful disease management. Laboratory equipment for departments is extremely important. Morphological differentiation of CLL from other malignant or benign lymphoproliferative disorders is difficult. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry is the important step in this problem-solving. Flow cytometry is a modern laboratory method, which has recently achieved significant technological development and it is now common and important part of clinical practice. The aim of this article is to describe the importance of cytological examination, the current status of flow cytometry in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CLL, including the monitoring of minimal residual disease and the detection of prognostic markers.

Keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diagnosis, morphology, immunophenotype, CD38, ZAP-70, minimal residual disease.