Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Program

Sickle cell disease treatment at St. Jude

St. Jude has a deep and long-standing commitment to children with sickle cell disease. Our scientists and medical team have been researching sickle cell disease and caring for patients with this disease since the hospital opened in 1962. From exceptional patient care to innovative research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the nation's leading centers for sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease clinical trials

St. Jude is the primary treatment center for children with sickle cell disease in the Memphis area. We also consider referrals of children who are eligible for an open St. Jude clinical research trial for stem cell (bone marrow) transplant or gene therapy.

St. Jude offers clinical trials and research studies for children, teens, and young adults for sickle cell disease. Learn more about clinical research at St. Jude.

View all sickle cell disease clinical trials.

Why St. Jude for sickle cell disease treatment?

St. Jude provides outstanding treatment and educational resources to help patients with sickle cell and other blood disorders live long, happy, and healthy lives.

• The first research grant ever received by the hospital was for the study of sickle cell disease. Since that time, St. Jude has been involved in many research studies that have had a major impact on the treatment of the disease.
• In 1983, a St. Jude patient was the first person in the world to be cured of sickle cell disease through a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant. Today, many people throughout the world have gone through this therapy and no longer suffer with sickle cell disease. A transplant is a potential cure, but it is not an easy one. Patients can have many complications after a transplant. That is why St. Jude continues to research cures for sickle cell disease.
• St. Jude has several labs that perform innovative research in sickle cell disease and other blood disorders. Some St. Jude scientists conduct basic research. Others work on translational research that bridges the gap between the lab and bedside care.
• St. Jude has taken part in and led several clinical trials studying the use of hydroxyurea in children with sickle cell disease. This ongoing research includes work to determine the drug’s impact on protecting organs against damage from the disease. Hydroxyurea boosts the level of fetal hemoglobin in the body. It helps red blood cells stay round and flexible, so they can travel more easily through the tiny blood vessels. It may also prevent or slow down damage to the spleen, kidneys, lungs, and brain. Studies have shown that patients with higher levels of fetal hemoglobin tend to have fewer symptoms of sickle cell disease.
• St. Jude also has clinical trials for newer medicines such as voxelotor. Other treatments for sickle cell disease include Endari and crizanlizumab.
• St. Jude researchers study gene therapy as a potential cure for sickle cell disease. It adds a new gene or replaces a mutated (changed) gene to help prevent or treat disease.
• St. Jude has a stroke prevention program that identifies patients at high risk for stroke. These patients get blood transfusions to decrease the chances of stroke.
• The nurse-to-patient ratio at St. Jude is unmatched — averaging 1:3 in hematology and 1:1 in the Intensive Care Unit.
• Sickle cell disease care at St. Jude is geared toward finding cures, preventing illness, and improving overall health for patients. Regular sickle cell treatments help decrease the number of:
  • Pain episodes
  • Acute chest syndrome episodes
  • Blood transfusions
  • Emergency visits and hospital stays

Preparing patients for adult life with sickle cell disease

From ages 12–18, St. Jude sickle cell patients take part in an education program that helps them move to adult care when they turn 18.

• St. Jude collaborated with the Center for Sickle Cell Disease at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), the Diggs-Kraus Sickle Cell Center at Regional One Health, and the Methodist Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center to create the St. Jude-Methodist-Regional One Sickle Cell Disease Transition Clinic. This clinic helps patients make the leap from childhood care to adult care. The clinic is aimed at improving the poor transition rates among teens and young adults, as well as reducing long-term disease complications and deaths.
• The St. Jude Sickle Cell Clinical Research and Intervention Program (SCCRIP) helps St. Jude researchers understand the disease’s long-term effects. SCCRIP follows the health of people with sickle cell disease from childhood to adulthood. The program aims to understand the biological and genetic factors that contribute to organ decline and other disease complications. The knowledge will help develop better therapies for people with sickle cell disease so they can have healthier, longer lives.

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