Flow cytometric analysis of high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: correlation between histology, immunophenotyping and cell cycle analysis.

The immunophenotype and the DNA parameters of 21 high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas considered in terms of the Kiel Classification were studied by flow cytometry. The centroblastic and immunoblastic lymphomas differed in the expression of lymphocyte markers, however no characteristic immunophenotype for each lymphoma type could be distinguished. Assessment of the FSC/SSC dot plots with histology enables to distinguish subpopulations of the lymphoma cells. The immunoblastic and centroblastic lymphomas were characterized by high proliferative activity although no significant differences in S-phase values between both groups could be found.