Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-based stem cell mobilization in patients with sickle cell disease

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been reported to exacerbate vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease. It has been recommended to avoid its use for stem cell mobilization in this population, yet autologous transplant is the standard of care and at times a life-saving treatment for patients with various hematologic malignancies such as relapsed aggressive lymphoma or multiple myeloma. We report 5 cases of patients with sickle cell disease and related hemoglobinopathies who underwent granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). Three of them developed manageable vaso-occlusive pain symptoms requiring parenteral narcotics alone. The 2 others had no complications. These cases demonstrate that stem cell mobilization using G-CSF, although complicated and not without risk, is feasible in patients with sickle cell syndromes.