Chapter 17 Detection of small cell carcinoma in bone marrow aspirates using monoclonal antibodies and mixtures of monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

Abstract Four monoclonal antibodies and 4 mixtures of these were used to stain 8 control bone marrows, 8 bone marrows known to be infiltrated with SCLC and 20 cytologically negative bone marrows from patients with SCLC. A small population of haemopoietic cells stained with each of the reagents. Clumps of stained cells were seen in all cytologically positive bone marrows. Varation of antigen expression was seen but this was largely overcome by the use of mixtures of monoclonal antibodies. Clumps of stained cells were detected in 4 of 20 (20%) cytologically negative bone marrows. Monoclonal antibodies are more sensitive than routine cytological analysis at detecting SCLC infiltrating bone marrow. This method is limited both by the presence of stained single cells in the normal haemopoietic population and by variation of antigen expression by SCLC, our monoclonal antibodies and 4 mixtures of these were used to stain 8 control bone marrows, 8 bone marrows known to be infiltrated with SCLC and 20 cytologically negative bone marrows from patients with SCLC. A small population of haemopoietic cells stained with each of the reagents. Clumps of stained cells were seen in all cytologically positive bone marrows. Variation of antigen expression was seen but this was largely overcome by the use of mixtures of monoclonal antibodies. Clumps of stained cells were detected in 4 of 20 (20%) cytologically negative bone marrows. Monoclonal antibodies are more sensitive than routine cytological analysis at detecting SCLC infiltrating bone marrow. This method is limited both by the presence of stained single cells in the normal haemopoietic population and by variation of antigen expression by SCLC.