Table 2 Correlation of abnormal cells detected by morphology, standard flow cytometric immunophenotyping, flow cytometric Vβ analysis, and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement in blood staging
SS by morphology % Sezary cells (mean, range) Absolute count (mean, range)/μl | Control (N=18) (0.2%, 0–3%; 15, 0–110) | ≤5% (N=56) (0.6%, 0–5%; 40, 0–532) | >5% but ≤1000/μl (N=5) (10%, 6–14%; 740, 492–880) | ≥ 1000/μl (N=27) (35%, 10–95%; 7436, 1115–41 195) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Flow cytometric immunophenotype | ||||
Aberrant CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 13 |
Increased CD4+CD7− (≥40%) | 3 | 17 | 1 | 18 |
Increased CD4+CD26− (≥35%) | 3 | 32 | 5 | 25 |
Normal | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
CD4:CD8 ratio (≥10:1) | 2 (11% of cases) | 16 (28%) | 1 (53%) | 22 (81%) |
Flow cytometric Vβ analysis | ||||
Negative | 18 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
Positive (single Vβ/non-reactive) | 0 | 35 (26/9) | 4 (3/1) | 27 (15/12) |
TCR gene rearrangement | ||||
Positive | 3 | 16 | 1 | 11 |
Oligoclonal | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Negative | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
Not performed | 6 | 29 | 4 | 15 |
aFinal blood staging (n=88) | NA | B0: 24 B1: 25 B2: 39 |