Why should we talk about CD123 and BPDCN?

Why it is

important

To talk about…

CD123 and

BPDCN

~85% to 90% of patients with BPDCN present with skin lesions^1-3

Dermatologists may be the first to recognize the signs of BPDCN and biopsy unusual or treatment-resistant lesions^4-6

Follow the
dermatologists’ path

The CD123 marker is highly expressed (~95%) on BPDCN cells^1,5,7

A graphic showing that BPDCN testing should include CD123, in combination with CD4 and CD56

Pathologists can test for BPDCN by including CD123, in combination with CD4 and CD56, in every hematologic diagnostic panel^4,8*

Follow the
pathologists’ path

BPDCN is a rare and clinically aggressive hematologic malignancy with poor outcomes^7,9,10

Hematologist-Oncologists can push for an early diagnosis of BPDCN to help improve its poor outcomes and provide appropriate treatment^4,10

Follow the hemato-oncologists’ path

Early diagnosis of this deadly cancer is critical and may take a multidisciplinary team⁴

* The diagnosis of BPDCN requires immunophenotyping and fundamentally relies on the demonstration of CD4, CD56, CD123, CD303, and TCL1 expression, together with a lack of expression of markers for B cells, T cells, myeloid or monocytic cells, and NK cells.^4,5

Abbreviations

BPDCN = blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm;

CD = cluster of differentiation;

NK = natural killer;

TCL1 = T-cell leukemia/lymphoma protein 1A.

References

References:
1. Laribi K, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2016;22(8):1357-1367.
2. Sullivan JM, Rizzieri DA. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016(1):16-23.
3. Julia F, et al. Br J Dermatol. 2013;169(3):579-586.
4. Pagano L, et al. Br J Haematol. 2016;174(2):188-202.
5. Facchetti F, et al. Mod Pathol. 2016;29(2):98-111.
6. Shapiro R, et al. J Cell Sci Ther. 2015;S8:008.doi:10.4172/2157-7013.S8-008.
7. Pagano L, et al. Haematologica. 2013;98(2):239-246.
8. Pemmaraju N, Konopleva M. Blood Adv. 2020 Aug 25;4(16):4020-4027.
9. Laribi K, et al. Blood Adv. 2020 Oct 13;4(19):4838-4848.