Flow cytometry of bone marrow aspirates from neuroblastoma patients is a highly sensitive technique for quantification of low-level neuroblastoma

Background: Bone marrow involvement is an important aspect of determining staging of disease and treatment for childhood neuroblastoma. Current standard of care relies on microscopic examination of bone marrow trephine biopsies and aspirates respectively, to define involvement. Flow cytometric analysis of disaggregated tumour cells, when using a panel of neuroblastoma specific markers, allows for potentially less subjective determination of the presence of tumour cells. Methods: A retrospective review of sequential bone marrow trephine biopsies and aspirates, performed at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, between the years 2015 and 2018, was performed to assess whether the addition of flow cytometric analysis to these standard of care methods provided concordant or additional information. Results: There was good concurrence between all three methods for negative results 216/302 (72%). Positive results had a concordance of 52/86 (61%), comparing samples positive by flow cytometry and positive by either or both cytology and histology. Of the remaining samples, 20/86 (23%) were positive by either or both cytology and histology, but negative by flow cytometry. Whereas 14/86 (16%) of samples were positive only by flow cytometry. Conclusions: Our review highlights the ongoing importance of expert cytological and histological assessment of bone marrow results. Flow cytometry is an objective, quantitative method to assess the level of bone marrow disease in aspirates. In this study, flow cytometry identified low-level residual disease that was not detected by cytology or histology. The clinical significance of this low-level disease warrants further investigation.

Flow cytometry of bone marrow aspirates from neuroblastoma patients is a highly sensitive technique for quantification of low-level neuroblastoma

Background: Bone marrow involvement is an important aspect of determining staging of disease and treatment for childhood neuroblastoma. Current standard of care relies on microscopic examination of bone marrow trephine biopsies and aspirates respectively, to define involvement. Flow cytometric analysis of disaggregated tumour cells, when using a panel of neuroblastoma specific markers, allows for potentially less subjective determination of the presence of tumour cells. Methods: A retrospective review of sequential bone marrow trephine biopsies and aspirates, performed at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, between the years 2015 and 2018, was performed to assess whether the addition of flow cytometric analysis to these standard of care methods provided concordant or additional information. Results: There was good concurrence between all three methods for negative results 216/302 (72%). Positive results had a concordance of 52/86 (61%), comparing samples positive by flow cytometry and positive by either or both cytology and histology. Of the remaining samples, 20/86 (23%) were positive by either or both cytology and histology, but negative by flow cytometry. Whereas 14/86 (16%) of samples were positive only by flow cytometry. Conclusions: Our review highlights the ongoing importance of expert cytological and histological assessment of bone marrow results. Flow cytometry is an objective, quantitative method to assess the level of bone marrow disease in aspirates. In this study, flow cytometry identified low-level residual disease that was not detected by cytology or histology. The clinical significance of this low-level disease warrants further investigation.

Role of Bone Marrow Trephine Biopsies in the Diagnosis of Hematological and Non-Hematological Disorders

Introduction: Bone marrow examination has become increasingly important for the diagnosis and treatment of hematologic and other illnesses. Bone marrow aspirates along with their peripheral smears and bone marrow trephine biopsies are considered to be complementary.Materials and Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Pathology for one year (March 2011 to March 2012) at BPKIHS, Dharan. Fortyeight adequate bone marrow aspirates along with peripheral blood smears and trephine biopsies were selected and examined. Bone marrow trephine biopsies performed simultaneously with aspirate were correlated with the other two fi ndings to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis.Results: Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy were found as complementary tests in 51.8% of cases. Bone marrow trephine biopsy provided a conclusive diagnosis in 25.9% of cases where bone marrow aspiration was inconclusive. Bone marrow aspiration alone was diagnostic in 22.2% of cases. In 43.7% of cases both aspiration and trephine biopsy were unable to provide a specificdiagnosis. Bone marrow biopsy was the diagnostic investigation in cases like aplastic anemia, myelofi brosis, and hypoplastic marrow.Conclusions: This study concludes that bone marrow aspiration smear along with peripheral smear findings and marrow trephine biopsy is required to arrive at a conclusive result.