Multiparameter Flow Cytometry For Detection Of Minimal Residual Disease In Multiple Myeloma After T-Cell Depleted Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) has been shown to be a sensitive, reproducible and broadly applicable method for the early detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in the bone marrow (BM) of pts with multiple myeloma (MM) following induction chemotherapy and/or autologous stem cell transplantation. In this study, we were interested in assessing the potential of MFC as a reliable and potentially predictive marker in pts with multiple myeloma who have undergone T-cell depleted allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (TCD HSCT).

We analyzed the results of MFC obtained in 35pts with multiply relapsed MM, who also have high-risk cytogenetics undergoing allo TCD-HSCT from HLA compatible related (n= 15) and unrelated (matched (n=8), mismatched (n=12) donors. We compared these results to standard myeloma markers obtained from the blood and marrow of these pts at days 30, 60-90, 120-180, 12 and 24 months routinely and as clinically indicated thereafter post TCD HSCT. Disease evaluation included serologic immunoglobulin levels, serum protein electrophoresis/immunofixation, and serum analysis of free light chains, bone marrow biopsy and aspirate. Bone marrow specimens from each time point were also analyzed by MFC with a panel including CD38, CD56, CD45, CD19, CD138, cyKAPPA, and cyLAMBDA by gating on distinct populations of bright CD38+/CD45- plasma cells at 200,000 acquired events total or at least 100 gated plasma cell events. Malignant plasma cells (MPC) were defined as CD38+/CD138+/CD56+/CD45- and/or positive for light chain clonal excess. MPC were detected in the BM sample at the MFC sensitivity of 10^-4(>1 MPC in 10⁴normal cells).

Thirty-five pts with multiply relapsed MM undergoing allo TCD HSCT were analyzed over median follow up of 27 months (range 6.2 – 53.3). Eighteen/35 pts did not relapse during the follow up period and none of these pts had a detectable CD38+/CD138+/CD56+/CD45- cell population by MFC. Seventeen/35 pts developed relapsed disease at a median of 12.5 months (range 3.2 – 52.5) post allo TCD-HSCT by standard serologic markers and all pts were found to be positive by MFC. The percentages of bright CD38+/CD45- cells in these pts ranged from 0.01% to 16.05% at time of first detection. In 14/17 pts, MFC became positive concurrently with standard serologic myeloma markers at relapse. In 3/17 pts, MFC detected a malignant plasma cell population with aberrant phenotype of 0.068%, 0.043% and 0.012% at 48.2, 24 and 25.4 months, respectively, post TCD HSCT in the absence of other positive markers in blood and bone marrow. These pts were also immunofixation (IF) negative at conversion to MFC positivity. Subsequent follow up of studies of these 3 pts lead to detection of recurrence by IF and/or M-spike/ aspirate at 3.8, 1.8 and 8.7 months with median follow up of 150 days after first MFC detection. The populations of MPC initially detected by MFC had increased upon relapse to higher levels.

Interestingly, in 2 pts we detected 6 and 8% plasma cells by bone marrow aspirate at 90 days and 180 days, respectively, post TCD HSCT, while flow cytometry detected only CD138+/CD56-/CD45+ cells. These 2 pts never relapsed and continued to remain in CR without further intervention.

These analyses demonstrate that MFC performed on marrow specimen of pts with relapsed MM who underwent a TCD HSCT provides additional important results to assess the overall disease status. A negative MFC indicated non relapse 100% of the time attesting to its negative predictive value. In all of our patients diagnosed with relapsed MM by traditional parameters, MFC was concurrently positive. Importantly, in 3/17 pts (18%) MRD detected MPC prior to overt relapse. Interestingly, MFC was able to detect false positive marrow relapses as well. Therefore, MFC permits the detection of MRD preceding frank relapse and can distinguish a malignant plasma cell population from proliferating recovering marrow post transplant. In the post allo TCD-HSCT setting MFC may serve as an early marker which can help formulate the timing of therapeutic interventions, such as adoptive immunotherapeutic approaches, as MFC detection provides a window of several weeks to initiate treatment before disease recurrence by serology.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.