Table 1 Overview of the available MRD detection methods in MCL
From: Advances in the assessment of minimal residual disease in mantle cell lymphoma
Feature | FC | PCR | NGS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | MFC | qPCR | ddPCR | IgNGS | mutNGS |
Target | Immunophenotype | IgH rearrangement, t(11;14), SOX11, CCND1 | Somatic mutations | IgH rearrangement | Somatic mutations |
Detection limit | 4-color: 10-3 8-color: 10-4, 10-5 | 10-5 | 10-5 | 10-6 | 10-6 |
Turnaround time | 3–4 h | 2 weeks | Less than a week | 1 week | 1–2 weeks |
Strengths | -Rapid quantification -Availability | -Well validated with low calibration failure -Robust and accurate -High sensitivity -High reproducibility -Regular quality control rounds | -Fast -Theoretical potential for increased sensitivity for low-level clones -Absolute quantification method | -High sensitivity -Can detect MRD not identified by multi-parameter FC or qPCR -Independent of patient-specific primers -Availability -Fast due to universal reagents | -Applicable to all lymphoma subtypes -Liquid biopsy -Broad genomic information -Can track clonal evolution and resistance |
Limitations | -Comparatively not sensitive -Not standardized -Requires presence of circulating tumor cells -Requires expertise in analysis | -Time consuming -Primer design necessary -Non universal reagents -Assessment limited to few genetic lesions -Cannot track clonal evolution -Labor intensive for tumors without canonical translocations -Not an absolute quantification tool | -Limited capability for multiplexing -Tracking of clonal evolution limited by throughput -Requires specialized technology not widely accessible | -ctDNA detection cannot identify the site or extent of disease relapse -Limited genomic information as it only allows Ig sequencing -Only tracks Ig-based clonal evolution -Primary sample required -Complex bioinformatics evaluation -Requires tumor tissue for clonotype determination | -Limitation in sensitivity due to breadth of genes and sequencing depth -Limited detection at low allele frequencies |