Moderator: Dr Alice Gichemi

Speaker & Topic:

Dr Terry Vik: Flow Cytometry for Rapid Diagnosis of Lymphoid Malignancies in Children & Teenagers

Global Context

– Childhood cancer cure rates: 80% in high-income countries, ~30% in LMICs.
– Barriers: delayed diagnosis, treatment abandonment, limited diagnostic access.
– WHO/SIOP target: Double survival and save 1 million children by 2030.

 Leukemia Diagnosis in Kenya

– Common signs: Pallor, Pyrexia, Purpura, Pain (bony).
– First-line tests: CBC and peripheral smear.
– Many children present with Hgb < 7.0 — indicates late presentation.

Role of Flow Cytometry

– Globally standard for classifying ALL/AML.
– In Kenya, it’s reducing time-to-treatment, especially in Burkitt Lymphoma (from 13.6 to 10.5 days).
– Used on both bone marrow and peripheral blood samples for early diagnosis.

 Clinical Pilot Highlights

– MTRH pilot expanding to 100 patients in 2026.
– Focus: Feasibility of flow cytometry in peripheral blood diagnostics.
– Goal: Develop scalable and SHIF/NHIF-coverable diagnostic methods.

Key Clinical Takeaways

– Recognize early signs of leukemia using the 4 P’s.
– Flow cytometry is feasible and impactful in Kenya.
– Early diagnosis can save lives — integration into local protocols is critical.