Klin Onkol 2015; 28(Suppl 3): 16-21. DOI: 10.14735/amko20153S16.
Summary
Newly introduced highly effective treatment options increase the importance of minimal residual disease measurement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Minimal residual disease is gaining interest mainly as a predictive marker; however, clinical significance of minimal residual dis ease in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in many different situations remains unresolved. Factors with a possible impact on the clinical significance of minimal residual disease are as follows: technique for minimal residual disease quantification, treatment regimen, peripheral blood vs. bone marrow analysis or time-point for sampling. Highly sensitive methods now available to evaluate minimal residual disease can detect a single chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell in 10–4–10–5 leukocytes using either allele-specific oligonucleotide polymerase chain reaction or multicolor flow cytometry. Minimal residual disease quantification as a surrogate marker to assess treatment efficacy in routine hematological practice has to be further evaluated.
