Role of flowcytometry in early diagnosis of acute promyelocytic Leukemia: report of three cases

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML) is a type of acute myeloid leukemia with genetic abnormalities [t (15;17)]. The patients with APML can present with varied and unusual sign and symptoms. If treated timely, this subtype of APML has good prognosis; hence early diagnosis is important in such cases. Flowcytometric (FCM) immunophenotyping provides an accurate and early method of diagnosing this disease entity, especially in developing countries where molecular diagnosis is still not a feasible option for majority of the population. We present a triad of cases of APML with unusual clinical features where FCM played a significant role in giving an early diagnosis and management of APML.