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Also called: hemoglobin SS disease, HbSS disease, homozygous sickle cell disease
Sickle cell anemia is a type of sickle cell disease. It is also known as hemoglobin SS disease or HbSS. Like other types of sickle cell disease, sickle cell anemia is inherited (passed down in families).
Sickle cell disease is a group of blood disorders that affects hemoglobin in red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are round and flexible. They flow easily through the body’s blood vessels. People with sickle cell disease, including sickle cell anemia, have red blood cells that are hard, sticky, and shaped like a banana (sickle-shaped). Learn more about sickle cell disease on Together by St. Jude™.
Sickle cells die faster than normal red blood cells. In healthy people, blood cells live around 120 days. People with sickle cell anemia have blood cells that live only 10 to 20 days. The sickle cells die faster than they can be replaced. This can lead to severe anemia, or a lack of healthy red blood cells. Fewer red blood cells are available to deliver oxygen to the body.
Signs and symptoms of sickle cell anemia include:
Sickle cell anemia (hemoglobin SS disease) is caused by a gene change (mutation) that affects hemoglobin. Each child has 2 hemoglobin genes — 1 from their mother and 1 from their father. Sickle cell anemia occurs when a child inherits the hemoglobin S gene from both parents.
A simple blood test can diagnose sickle cell anemia. This test is usually done in the hospital within 1 to 2 days of birth.
Sickle cell anemia is treated similarly to other types of sickle cell disease. Patients with sickle cell anemia need lifelong medical care. Common treatments include:
Researchers are also studying how new gene therapies may be used to treat sickle cell disease.
St. Jude offers clinical trials and research studies for children, teens, and young adults with blood disorders. Learn more about clinical research at St. Jude.
Study goal:
The purpose of this research study is to collect data on sickle cell disease participants from birth to end of life. With these data, researchers will better understand problems caused by sickle cell disease both in children and in adults.
Study goal:
The primary purpose of this study is to examine the safety of administration of the unlicensed investigational NCBP HPC-CORD BLOOD products in a multi-institution setting.
Patients accepted to St. Jude must have a disease we treat and must be referred by a physician or other qualified medical professional. We accept most patients based on their ability to enroll in an open clinical trial.
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