TY - JOUR
T1 - Diagnostic criteria for monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis
AU - Marti, Gerald E.
AU - Rawstron, Andy C.
AU - Ghia, Paolo
AU - Hillmen, Peter
AU - Houlston, Richard S.
AU - Kay, Neil
AU - Schleinitz, Thérèse A.
AU - Caporaso, Neil
PY - 2005/8
Y1 - 2005/8
N2 - Very low levels of circulating monoclonal B-cell subpopulations can now be detected in apparently healthy individuals using flow cytometry. We propose the term 'monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis' (MBL) to describe this finding. The aim of this document is to provide a working definition of MBL for future clinical, epidemiological and laboratory studies. We propose that the detection of a monoclonal B-cell population by light chain restriction is sufficient to define this condition in individuals not meeting the diagnostic criteria for other B-lymphoproliferative disorders. The majority of individuals with MBL will have cells that are indistinguishable from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). However, this blood cell clonal expansion of CD5+ or CD5- B-lymphocytes is age-dependent and immunophenotypic heterogeneity is common. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether MBL is a precursor state to CLL or other B-lymphoproliferative disease in a situation analogous to a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and myeloma. Future studies of MBL should be directed towards determining its relationship to clinical disease, particularly in individuals from families with a genetic predisposition to developing CLL.
AB - Very low levels of circulating monoclonal B-cell subpopulations can now be detected in apparently healthy individuals using flow cytometry. We propose the term 'monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis' (MBL) to describe this finding. The aim of this document is to provide a working definition of MBL for future clinical, epidemiological and laboratory studies. We propose that the detection of a monoclonal B-cell population by light chain restriction is sufficient to define this condition in individuals not meeting the diagnostic criteria for other B-lymphoproliferative disorders. The majority of individuals with MBL will have cells that are indistinguishable from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). However, this blood cell clonal expansion of CD5+ or CD5- B-lymphocytes is age-dependent and immunophenotypic heterogeneity is common. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether MBL is a precursor state to CLL or other B-lymphoproliferative disease in a situation analogous to a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and myeloma. Future studies of MBL should be directed towards determining its relationship to clinical disease, particularly in individuals from families with a genetic predisposition to developing CLL.
KW - B cells
KW - Early detection
KW - Familial chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
KW - Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis
KW - Surrogate biomarker
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2005.05550.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2005.05550.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 16042682
AN - SCOPUS:24944511686
VL - 130
SP - 325
EP - 332
JO - British Journal of Haematology
JF - British Journal of Haematology
SN - 0007-1048
IS - 3
ER -