Consensus review of the clinical utility of DNA flow cytometry in neoplastic hematopathology

Numerous prospective (fresh tissue) and retrospective (archival tissue) studies of DNA flow cytometry have been undertaken to ascertain the biologic behavior of hematopoietic malignancies. We have critically examined most of the studies that relate DNA ploidy and proliferative activity to clinical outcome in nonHodgkin’s lymphomas, acute leukemias, and multiple myeloma. Selected studies relating DNA flow cytometry to histologic grade, but not clinical outcome, of nonHodgkin’s lymphomas were also considered. The goal was to reach a consensus, based on a review of the literature and on our collective experience, on the value of DNA flow cytometry in the characterization of hematopoietic malignancies. The following review of the literature covers lymphomas, multiple myelomas, and acute leukemias.