Flow cytometry in cutaneous T-Cell lymphomas

Peripheral blood flow cytometry plays an essential role in the assessment of peripheral blood tumor involvement by mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome, with important implications for staging and prognosis. Aberrant loss of CD7 and CD26 expression is evidenced in most but not all cases. A minority of cases exhibit diminished or absent expression of CD2, CD3, CD4 and/or CD5; in addition to infrequent increased light scatter. Flow cytometric analysis of skin lesions is emerging as a useful ancillary tool in the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides. Neoplastic T-cells in skin lesions most frequently show aberrant diminished expression of CD3, increased light scatter, and occasionally lack of both CD4 and CD8 expression. Flow cytometric analysis of enlarged lymph node s might be contributory to demonstrating involvement by cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.