Klin Onkol 2008; 21(Suppl 1): 249-253.
Immunophenotyping of myeloma cells is used to characterize the malignant plasma cells and to distinguish them from their normal counterparts. Flow cytometry is mostly used for the diagnosis of plasma cell proliferations but a detailed analysis of plasma cell immunophenotype can identify disease markers that are associated with the progression of monoclonal gammopathy of unknown
signifi cance to multiple myeloma (MM), the prognosis of MM, the response to treatment, and the presence of minimal residual disease. The aim of the European Myeloma Network (EMN) is to unify and standardize immunophenotyping methods for the analysis of plasma cells in monoclonal gammopathies.
