The European Myeloma Network
(EMN)
The European Myeloma Network was established in 2003 by integrating 27 research institutions and 14 trial groups with
the intent to support development of novel diagnostics and therapies for multiple myeloma.
Now, EMN is legalised and ready to initiate and support co-operative clinical trials and laboratory research.
The Myeloma Stem Cell Network (MSCNET)
is part of EMN. It is supported by
EU's Sixth Framework Programme.
News
| Recommendations from the MSCNET flow cytometry workshop in Salamanca |
*Use of CD38/CD56/CD19/CD45 4-color combinations and 6-color combination also including cyIg-lambda/cyIg-kappa are recommended as the most informative combinations for the enumeration and identification of both normal and pathological plasma cells (PC) by flow cytometry (FCM) in multiple myeloma (MM) and other monoclonal gammopathies (MG).
*Double-step acquisition is necessary in those cases with <10% of PC: firstly, 30,000 events of the whole cellularity are acquired; in the second step, only those events showing intermediate side scatter (SSC) values and strong CD38 expression (where PCs are located) are collected with information on a minimum of 5000 PC.
*Enumeration of bone marrow PC is less variable than morphology, and is associated with patients´ outcome. Differences between these techniques are that samples used for enumeration by FCM are frequently more diluted.
*The presence of aberrant phenotype allows an easy discrimination between normal and clonal PC, even when the percentage of total PC is very low, increasing the reproducibility and sensitivity of this technique. Enumeration of normal vs. pathological PC by FCM is:
A) the most powerful single criteria for discrimination between MG of undetermined significance (MGUS) and MM
B) a significant maker of the risk of progression in MGUS
C) the most powerful parameter for prediction risk of malignant transformation in smoldering myeloma
*Detection of phenotypically aberrant PC by flow cytometry is relevant for the monitoring of MM patients since it correlates with the electrophoretic response after therapy and patients´ outcome after autologous stem cell transplantation.
Martin Perez-Andres
PhD
Department of Medicin
CICancer
University of Salamanca
37007 Salamanca
Spain
Alberto Orfao
Professor
Department of Medicin
CICancer
University of Salamanca
37007 Salamanca
Spain
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| 5 Nov 2008 by kirsten |
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