Diagnostic information derived from immunotyping 1000 patients with leukemia and lymphoma

Immunotyping analysis has been performed on cells from 1000 patients with leukemia or lymphoma using 14 markers of cell lineage or differentiation stage over a 4 yr period. Results showed considerable heterogeneity of cell type among these groups of malignant diseases not readily apparent by morphology and histochemistry. Immunotyping contributed additional diagnostic information in 30% of patients and should be a routine procedure in 8 disease categories. These are: acute leukemia, cell type not determined; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; lymphocytosis of undetermined origin; chronic myeloid leukemia terminal blast crisis; chronic lymphocytic leukemia; malignant lymphoma-leukemic phase; Sezary syndrome, mycosis fungoides and chronic T cell leukemia; malignant lymphoma and lymphadenopathy- ? lymphoma. Immunotyping provided information on cell lineage and differentiation stage of major leukemic cell populations. Abnormal monoclonal proliferations of B lymphocytes and the presence of primitive cells amongst normally mature tissue cells were identified. Disturbances in normal lymphoid and monocytic cell populations in blood, marrow or tissues could also be demonstrated. Many of the reagents used in this period are now replaced by monoclonal antibody reagents to human lineage and differentiation antigens. These are expected to increase diagnostic usefulness of these techniques.