Help in understanding flow cytometry results, anyone??

[keikikumu]

My husband just received his flow cytometry results, and his appointment with his oncologist isn't for another three weeks. We're combing the internet for information on how to interpret the results and getting nowhere. Anyone with experience in this?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Flow cytometry testing of blood or a node or bone marrow biopsy is how CLL is diagnosed and one means of assessing treatment effectiveness. It reports the CD markers found on the surface of white blood cells, which is how pathologists work out whether there are too many white blood cells of a particular type and whether these are clones. That's how they can report what type of blood cancer (if any) is present.

If you attach a copy of your husband's results to your post or to my reply (I'd also change the post to private to this community or at least redact any identifying information healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo... ), then you'll be given some feedback on the results so that your husband can make better use of his appointment.

Neil

[keikikumu in reply to AussieNeil]

Thank you, Neil. I'll try to make those changes (thanks for the link) and be grateful for feedback on his results.

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

Hi keikikumu,

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Please look for the box on this page labeled: Related Posts- the first two are informative:

*flow cytometry results healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo....

*Flow cytometry results healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

And this one also: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

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The short version: SNIP: Flow-cytometric demonstration of the typical chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) immunophenotype is vital for diagnosis. CLL has a characteristic immunophenotype, expressing CD5, CD19, dim CD20, dim CD22, CD23, bright CD43, dim CD45, dim to negative CD79b, dim CD81, CD200, and dim monoclonal surface immunoglobulin. This characteristic immunophenotype allows a definitive diagnosis and the ruling out of another leukemia or lymphoma

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Len

[Skyshark in reply to lankisterguy]

What about Atypical?

[SeymourB]

keikikumu -

There are actually several kinds of flow cytometry that CLL patients can get. One type is needed for diagnosis. Another type is used to check progress in therapy. It tends to look at only CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19, and CD56. This type usually has "absolute" counts, although they may just say "count" without the word "absolute".

CD3 counts give total number of T-cells overall.

CD4 counts (or CD3+, CD4+ counts) give total number of Helper T-cells

CD8 counts (or CD3+, CD8+ counts) give total number of Cytotoxic T-cells, sometimes called Killer T-cells, because they actively try to kill invading viruses, bacteria, and fungi) by learning and matching them.

CD19 counts gives total number of B-cells, including plasma B-cells

CD16+, CD56+ gives total number of Natural Killer Cells (or NK cells - different from the Cytotoxic T-cells). These are innate, and don't have to learn. They match only certain kinds of invaders.

There are other flow cytometries that look at other cell types as well - and may list different CD markers, with or without counts. If without counts, they usually say "bright" or "dim" or merely "moderate", "positive", or "negative" to try to confirm or eliminate a possible diagnosis.

V&O therapy will cause a decrease in CD19 cells, because it tries to target proteins that are on most CD19 cells.

=seymour=