The limitations in utilizing phenotypic markers to detect minimal residual disease in acute leukaemias (AL)

So far, in spite of the evergrowing number of available anti-leucocyte mAb, phenotypic markers proved to be of limited value for the detection of a minimal residual disease in leukemias. The question is to detect malignant leucocytes in a normal hematological environment. However no marker is specific for the malignant state perse. In addition, many markers are not absolutely specific of a given lineage of differentiation. Consequently the precise characterization of a leukaemic population must rely on a battery of markers. Finally, normal leucocyte populations are much more heterogeneous than initially thought. Prospects for efficient methods are discussed; they rely mainly on the possibilities to enrich the malignant clone and to induce its in vitro expansion.