Diagnostic and prognostic significance of flow cytometry immunophenotyping in patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

摘要: Some patients with epithelial-cell cancers develop leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC), a severe complication difficult to diagnose and an adverse prognosis. This study explores the contribution of flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCI) diagnosis prognosis LC. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from diagnosed LC were studied using FCI. Expression adhesion molecule (EpCAM) was criterion used identify epithelial cells. To test diagnostic precision, 144 (94 LC) included. The prognostic value FCI evaluated in 72 eligible for therapy. Compared cytology, showed greater sensitivity negative predictive (79.79 vs. 50%; 68.85 51.55%, respectively), but lower specificity positive (84 100%; 90.36 100%, respectively). multivariate analysis revealed that percentage CSF EpCAM+ cells predicted increased risk death (HR: 1.012, 95% CI 1.000-1.023; p=0.041). A cut-off 8% distinguished two groups statistically significant differences overall survival (OS) (p=0.018). kept its statistical significance regardless absolute cell-count. improved diagnosing LC, refinement technique is needed improve specificity. Furthermore, quantification be independent factor OS An contributed predicting clinical evolution before initiation