Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donation

What is Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Donation?

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donation is a nonsurgical procedure to collect HSC from your bloodstream by apheresis. Less than 3% of your total HSC will be collected and your body could replenish the donated HSC within a short period of time. You will have to receive Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) injections for 3-4 days prior to donation, for the purpose of mobilizing HSC from the bone marrow into the circulating peripheral blood for the collection.

Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF)

G-CSF is a short acting mobilizing agent used to increase the number of HSC in your bloodstream. It has been used in healthy donors since early 1990s. You will receive G-CSF injection in your arms or abdomen subcutaneously for 3 to 4 consecutive days prior to donation. The injection could be given in any of our donor centres. One day before donation, a blood sample will be drawn to check the number of HSC in your bloodstream.

Risks and adverse effects associated with PBSC Donation

The more frequent side effects of G-CSF injection are mild bone pain, muscle pain, headaches or other flulike symptoms, which usually disappear 1-2 days after the last injection. These events are rarely dangerous. G-CSF has been approved by many health authorities around the world for regular use in cancer patients and healthy donors, and we offer to arrange follow-up with you regularly after the donation. You may experience tingling around mouth, fingers and toes, and mild muscle cramps during the donation due to lowering of blood calcium. These symptoms can easily be relieved by slowing down the donation process, taking calcium supplement or drinks. You may experience pain, bruise, inflammation, infection or skin allergy over the needle puncture site after the donation. These events are usually short-term and rarely dangerous.

 For more information about Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Donation, please visit Educational Pack for Confirmatory Typing and Workup