Identifying leukemia‐associated immunophenotype‐based individualized minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia and its prognostic significance

Based on the leukemia‐associated immunophenotypes (LAIPs), minimal residual disease (MRD) related to the outcome can be detected by multiparameter flow cytometry in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Although 0.1% was commonly used as a cutoff value, measurable MRD or MRD level below 0.1% has also been associated with prognostic significance and more sensitive thresholds (<0.1%) are required for improving AML prognosis prediction. In this study, 292 adult patients diagnosed with AML (non‐M3) were enrolled, 36 kinds of LAIPs were identified, and the baseline expression levels in normal or regenerating bone marrows of each kind of LAIP were established, which ranged from <2.00 × 10 −5 to 5.71 × 10 −4 . The baseline level of each LAIP was considered as the individual threshold for MRD assessment. MRD statuses stratified by 0.1% and individual threshold were termed as 0.1%‐MRD and individual‐MRD, respectively. The patients of individual‐MRD neg showed significantly better survival compared with those of 0.1%‐MRD neg /individual‐MRD pos or 0.1%‐MRD pos . Multivariate analysis showed that when time points of complete remission, post the first and second consolidation courses, were considered, only individual‐MRD post second consolidation presented independent prognostic value. Notably, in patients of cytogenetic/molecular low‐risk (LR) or intermediate‐risk (IR), the individual‐MRD status could identify the patients with significantly different outcomes, while 0.1%‐MRD status could not. Furthermore, among the patients of the LR or IR group which received chemotherapy only, those with individual‐MRD neg status presented favorable survival, which was comparable with that of the patients accepted allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This approach is useful in the selection of an ASCT strategy for clinical practice.