Flow Cytometry Test: What Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients Should Know

Learn what a flow cytometry test is, how it’s used for people with leukemia and lymphoma, and what the results show so you can feel more informed in your care. 

What is flow cytometry?

Flow cytometry is a lab test that looks at the physical and chemical properties of cells. It uses lasers and fluorescent dyes to study thousands of cells in just a few minutes. Cells can be taken from blood, bone marrow, tissue, or other body fluids.

Doctors often use flow cytometry to perform immunophenotyping. This means classifying cells by their protein markers. Immunophenotyping can help identify the different subtypes of leukemias and lymphomas. 

What does flow cytometry measure?

A flow cytometry test measures things like:

• Cell size and shape: This helps show whether the cells look normal or abnormal.
• Proteins on the cell surface (antigens): These are unique markers that identify the type of cell.
• How many cells are present: The test counts specific immune cells and cancer cells.
• How cells function: Flow cytometry can test how cells are growing, dividing, or responding to treatment.

These details are important because they help your care team confirm the diagnosis, determine the stage, and predict how aggressive the cancer might be. They can also check how well treatments are working or if cancer has returned.

What to expect from a flow cytometry test

• Preparing for flow cytometry: Usually, no special steps are needed from patients beforehand, unless a tissue sample is needed. If a tissue sample is needed, you may not be able to eat the night before. Your healthcare team will tell you exactly what you need to do before your test.
• Sample collection: Blood, bone marrow, or tissue is collected at your provider’s office or hospital. Blood may be drawn from a vein in your arm or from your finger. If your doctor needs a bone marrow sample, it will be drawn from your hip bone. You will be given a local anesthetic and may be given light sedation medication. A hollow needle will be inserted through your skin and into the hip bone. The liquid part of the bone marrow, called an aspiration, may be removed. Or a very small piece of bone will be removed. Sometimes, both are removed during the procedure.
• Lab process: Cells are tagged with dyes, passed through the flow cytometer, and analyzed by computer.
• Timing: Results are usually ready within a few days to a week.

The test is considered safe and does not carry major risks. 

Image source: Shutterstock

What can flow cytometry results show? 

After your flow cytometry test, a doctor called a pathologist reviews the data and writes a report. Pathologists have special training in lab tests that use blood or tissue samples. The report may include:

• Graphs or dot plots showing different groups of cells.
• Cell counts compared with normal ranges for your age.
• Antigen patterns that identify whether the cells are healthy or abnormal.

For example, if cells show protein patterns different from normal immune cells, this could point to a blood disorder, immune system disorder, or a blood cancer like leukemia or lymphoma. 

Your doctor will explain the results in the context of your overall health, symptoms, and medical history. It is normal for the report to look highly technical. What matters most is how your provider interprets the results for your care plan. 

Summary

Flow cytometry is a test that helps doctors diagnose and monitor leukemia and lymphoma. It provides important details about cell types, counts, and functions, helping your care team recommend the best next steps. If you receive flow cytometry results, ask your doctor to explain what the findings mean for your individual situation.

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Sources: 

• NIH | Flow Cytometry: An Overview
• Cleveland Clinic |  Flow Cytometry
• City of Hope | Flow Cytometry
• Leukemia/Lymphoma Phenotyping Evaluation by Flow Cytometry