Early granulocyte colony stimulating factor administration increases the risk of cytokine release syndrome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving anti‐CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy

Abstract Cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell‐associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and neutropenia are common toxicities associated with chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR‐T) cell therapy. The role of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) in CAR‐T‐cell‐treated patients remains unclear. To explore the efficacy and safety of early G‐CSF administration in patients with relapsed/refractory B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B‐ALL) who were receiving autologous anti‐CD19 CAR‐T cells, we retrospectively collected and summarized clinical data to compare patients receiving G‐CSF within 14 days (early G‐CSF group) to patients receiving later or no G‐CSF (control group) after their CART infusion. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the incidence and duration of neutropenia between the early G‐CSF group and the control group (77% vs. 63%, p = 0.65; 8 vs. 4 days, p = 0.37, respectively). However, the incidence and duration of CRS were significantly higher in the early G‐CSF group than in the control group (81% vs. 38%, p = 0.03; 3 vs. 0 days, p = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, early G‐CSF application had no significant effect on the expansion and efficacy of CAR‐T cells. In conclusion, our study suggested that early G‐CSF administration did not reduce the incidence and duration of neutropenia but rather increased the incidence and duration of CRS.