Stem Cell Mobilization
Significant advances in the outcome of patients with malignant blood diseases took place over the past decades. For patients with poor-prognosis or relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease or multiple myeloma, most treatment protocols include high-dose chemotherapy supported with autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (ASCT). This however can be envisaged only when mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) collection and cryopreservation is successful. In the last few years, the addition of plerixafor – an inhibitor of the interaction between stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4–to G-CSF proved to be an effective modality for PBSC mobilization. Currently, sub-cutaneous plerixafor is usually combined with G-CSF as part of a mobilization regimen (with or without chemomobilization), either frontline, or “pre-emptively” (‘on-time’ administration), or as part of a remobilization attempt following a ‘washout’ period.
With this background, we have designed this web focus collection dedicated to stem cell mobilization. This collection aims to shed some light on the most recent advances in this field.
