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The Role of Flow Cytometry in Hematologic Malignancies

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Methods and Technologies Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 12 July 2026 | Viewed by 1066

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
Interests: hematopathology; flow cytometry; T-cell lymphoma; myeloid neoplasms

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
Interests: hematopathology; flow cytometry; T-cell lymphoma; myeloid neoplasms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flow cytometry is a key component of the diagnosis, classification, and monitoring of hematologic malignancies. With the rapid development of new and innovative technology, the role of flow cytometry in hematologic oncology diagnosis and management continues to expand and strengthen.

This Special Issue aims to explore the multifaceted applications of flow cytometry in the realm of hematologic cancers, including lymphoma, leukemia, histiocytic neoplasms, and plasma cell neoplasms. We are pleased to invite you to submit works that highlight innovative methodologies, clinical applications, and the integration of flow cytometry with other diagnostic modalities.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: advances in clinical flow cytometry in the diagnosis of hematologic neoplasms, the role of flow cytometry in minimal residual disease detection, and the impact of flow cytometry on treatment decisions and patient outcomes. Furthermore, we welcome submissions that discuss the challenges and limitations of flow cytometry in clinical practice, as well as future directions for research and technology development. We encourage authors to share their results in as much detail as possible so that the results can be reproduced.

We believe that this Special Issue will serve as a valuable, comprehensive overview of the current state and future potential of flow cytometry and will foster collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and laboratory professionals to advance the field of hematology-oncology.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Kristy Wolniak
Guest Editor

Dr. Lucy Fu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • flow cytometry
  • hematology
  • oncology
  • malignancy
  • lymphoma
  • leukemia
  • pathology
  • innovation
  • methodology
  • diagnosis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 3175 KB  
Article
Laboratory Evaluation of Peripheral Blood Involvement in Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome: Evolution of Flow Cytometry and Morphology Quantification and Interpretation
by Lucy Fu, Payton Trimark, Yijie Liu, Hamza Tariq, Qing Chen, Yi-Hua Chen, Juehua Gao, Barina Aqil, Joan Guitart and Kristy Wolniak
Cancers 2026, 18(3), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18030434 - 29 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 636
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) with variable clinical outcomes. Peripheral blood (PB) involvement in MF/SS is an independent predictor of prognosis. Accurate laboratory determination of PB involvement by MF/SS cells, however, is an ongoing [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) with variable clinical outcomes. Peripheral blood (PB) involvement in MF/SS is an independent predictor of prognosis. Accurate laboratory determination of PB involvement by MF/SS cells, however, is an ongoing challenge. Both flow cytometry (FC) and morphology-based quantification are limited by the overlap of CTCL cells and reactive T-cells. This study looks at the optimization over time of CTCL blood burden evaluation. Methods: This retrospective study reviews CTCL blood assessment at Northwestern Memorial Hospital from 2012 to 2021. Test ordering and reporting practices for morphology-based Sézary cell counts and FC were evaluated. For each assay, quantitative and qualitative results were analyzed and compared including percentages and absolute counts of abnormal T-cell populations and pathologist interpretations. Results: A total of 514 patients were evaluated, with increasing numbers of both tests ordered over time. FC quantitative metrics showed a moderate to high correlation with morphology metrics, especially for absolute CD4+/CD7− counts (correlation coefficient = 0.901, p-value < 0.001). Qualitative pathologist interpretations had moderate agreement between methods (kappa = 0.58). The recent addition of TRBC1 clonality assessment to our FC assay further optimizes the evaluation for CTCL blood burden. Conclusions: Flow cytometry offers a reliable approach for blood staging in MF/SS, and morphologic assessment may be redundant. This study provides a foundation for designing a new FC approach with TRBC1. This comprehensive review of the evolution of our laboratory practices may serve as a guide for other institutions with similar clinical needs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Flow Cytometry in Hematologic Malignancies)
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