Myeloma Measurable Residual Disease (MRD) Detection, Flow Cytometry

Measurable residual disease (MRD) acts as a crucial prognostic marker for clinicians, helping them evaluate treatment response, predict the likelihood of relapse, and in some cases determine eligibility for further treatment.¹

Next-generation flow cytometry (NGFC) is a tool for detecting MRD for patients with hematologic malignancies. MRD refers to the presence of persistent cancer cells that remain in a patient’s peripheral blood during or after treatment and are not detectable by conventional diagnostic methods. Flow cytometry offerings at Quest Diagnostics provide ultrasensitive MRD detection for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). 

The Quest next-generation flow cytometry (NGFC) panel for myeloma measurable residual disease (MRD) provides physicians with a tool to monitor treatment response and inform treatment decisions, such as whether to modulate treatment intensity or reflex to alternative treatments like stem cell transplant or novel therapies. This test provides a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting and quantifying residual myeloma cells after treatment, which allows for earlier detection of relapse and more timely intervention.¹

Additionally, MRD status is a predictor of overall survival and progression-free survival in these malignancies.^1,2 A negative MRD status after treatment is associated with a significantly better prognosis.^1,2 MRD testing may help identify patients who are at high risk of relapse and may benefit from more intensive or targeted therapies.¹

Importantly, the Quest myeloma MRD test has been validated for use with peripheral blood, unlike traditional myeloma MRD offerings. Enabling MRD detection from peripheral blood allows patients to avoid the pain and cost associated with bone marrow biopsy, facilitates longitudinal monitoring of disease, and could potentially improve detection of residual disease in instances of localized recurrence.³

The Quest myeloma measurable residual disease (MRD) test is applicable to any patient with multiple myeloma (MM) who has initiated treatment when prognosis or ongoing treatment selection could be informed by the presence of persistent cancer cells in the peripheral blood. Clinical situations where this panel may be helpful include the following:

• Evaluate treatment response and response to therapy in patients undergoing treatment for MM.
• Evaluate risk of relapse and need for additional treatment in patients who have recently completed initial treatment for MM.
• Monitor for disease recurrence in patients with a history of MM. 

The Quest myeloma measurable residual disease (MRD) test utilizes the following antibody markers to detect and quantify residual disease: CD19, CD20, CD27, CD38, CD45, CD56, CD81, CD117, CD138, CD200, and CD229.