Severe hypophosphataemia during stem cell harvesting in chronic myeloid leukaemia

Peripheral blood stem cell autografts for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) are currently under evaluation. A patient with CML received intensive chemotherapy followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prior to the collection of peripheral blood derived stem cells. He developed unusually severe, and fatal, hypophosphataemia and this coincided with the rapid rise of his peripheral blood white cell count. The hypophosphataemia was considered to be due to a combination of severe anorexia, sepsis and the rapid growth factor-stimulated myeloid regeneration in CML.