[Present and future of classification for white cells and leukemic cells in the routine clinical laboratory]

Renovation of laboratory medicine has been greatly advanced in the past decade. White cell differentiation has been done with the automated blood cell counter with high reliability with the combination of flow cytometry. Specific monoclonal antibodies have made FAB classification more precise, while the traditional cell classification still gives some extent of uncertainty for the decision of cell typing. High resolution chromosome analysis and DNA analysis enable one to define genetical leukemia types and patients' prognosis. Clinically the hematological data reported from the routine laboratory are regarded as very reliable, but an interpretation should be made carefully to select the patient treatment and prediction of prognosis. Here, four speakers were selected to show the present problems and some resolution for identification of white cells and leukemia cells. The importance of standardization work was also discussed for identification of white cells and leukemia cells examined by the traditional Romanovsky stain, automated blood cell counter, flow cytometric method, and chromosomal and DNA analytic methods. We concluded that all those methods should be standardized and interpretation would be harmonized to give common answers for clinical decisions.