Impact of Mobilization Strategies on Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection Efficiency and Product Quality: A Retrospective Single-Center Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: We retrospectively reviewed data from cancer patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection following different mobilization regimens (with or without plerixafor) for autologous stem cell transplantation. We used the Spectra Optia(®) continuous mononuclear platform for stem cell collections. The collection efficiency of CD34+ cells and other product characteristics of 210 PBSC collections following mobilization without plerixafor and 99 collections with plerixafor were assessed. We observed similar product characteristics between the two mobilization regimens. Mobilization with plerixafor slightly increased CD34+ collection efficacy, but the difference was negligible. We showed that the Spectra Optia(®) apheresis system leads to similar CD34+ cell collection efficacy and good-quality PBSC products for mobilization regimens with and without plerixafor. ABSTRACT: Autologous stem cell transplantation is routinely used in the management of several hematological diseases, solid tumors, and immune disorders. Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection performed by apheresis is the preferred source of stem cells. In this study, the potential impact of mobilization regimens on the performance of the Spectra Optia(®) continuous mononuclear cell collection system was evaluated. We performed a retrospective data analysis for patients undergoing autologous PBSC collection at the Medical University Vienna, Vienna General Hospital between September 2016 and June 2018. Collections were divided into two main groups according to the mobilization regimen received: without (210 collections) or with (99 collections) plerixafor. Assessed variables included product characteristics and collection efficiency (CE). Overall, product characteristics were similar between the groups. Median CD34+ CE2 was 50.1% versus 53.0%, and CE1 was 66.9% versus 69.9% following mobilization without and with plerixafor, respectively; the difference was not statistically significant. Simple linear regression showed a very weak positive correlation between the mobilization method and CE1 or CE2 (mobilization with plerixafor increased CE2 by 4.106%). In conclusion, the Spectra Optia(®) apheresis system led to high CE and a good quality of PBSC products when mobilization regimens with or without plerixafor were used.