Efficacy and toxicity of plerixafor for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization in children with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Six patients with high-risk neuroblastoma underwent the second stem cell collection round with G-CSF (5 μg/kg/day) + plerixafor (0.24 mg/kg/day) because the amount of CD34(+) cells collected during the first collection round with G-CSF alone was insufficient. The number of CD34(+) cells collected in the second collection round was higher in four patients and lower in two patients than in the first collection round. Four of the six patients experienced nightmares, nyctophobia, and visual hallucinations with G-CSF + plerixafor, which were not observed with G-CSF alone. Our findings suggest that plerixafor needs to be used with caution in children.