Abstract
Monocyte subset analysis by flow cytometry has been shown to be a useful
diagnostic tool in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in adults. An
increase in the classical monocyte fraction (CD14++/CD16-) greater than
94.0% of total monocytes is considered highly sensitive and specific in
distinguishing CMML from other myeloproliferative disorders. In a pilot
study of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia cases, we noted that
CD14++/CD16- monocyte fraction was >95% in de novo JMML
with somatic PTPN11 mutations but normal in those with monosomy 7 or
Noonan syndrome. Monocyte subgroup profiling by itself is not diagnostic
of JMML but may distinguish molecular subgroups within JMML.