Significance of Immunophenotyping in Prognosis of Acute Leukemia

Immunophenotyping is significantly important in the determination of prognosis of acute leukemia patients. Acute leukemia may be classified by several cellular-stage-specific antigens, which are also representative of certain morphologic characterizations. Immunophenotyping may assist FAB classification and define some subtypes that are difficult to identify solely by morphologic examinations. Exact diagnosis of biphenotypic and undiff eren-tiated acute leukemias may be attained by Immunophenotyping and its scoring system. In addition, expression of specific phenotype is associated with certain cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities, which underlies the malignant behavior of leukemias and the response to therapy. Moreover, combination of several antigens is a novel approach in monitoring minimal residual disease. Multiparameter flow cytometry may detect two or more antigens simultaneously. Since different subpopulations of leukemia cells may coexist in the same patient, the original data of immunophenotype should be preserved in order to help identify minimal residual disease later.