What is photopheresis procedure?

What is photopheresis procedure?

Photopheresis (FOH-toh-feh-REE-sis), or extracorporeal photoimmune therapy, is a procedure that treats graft versus host disease (GVHD, a disease caused when donated stem cell graft attacks normal tissue) or cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). During photopheresis, some of your blood is taken from your vein.

What is extracorporeal photopheresis used for?

Photopheresis, also known as extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), is a medical treatment that removes blood via a machine and isolates white blood cells. Then, these white cells are exposed to a medication called 8-methoxypsoralen followed by UVA irradiation before returning the blood to the patient.

How long does it take for photopheresis to work?

Though somewhat time-consuming (it takes three to four hours, performed over a couple days, and repeated every few weeks for at least several months), the treatment is not painful and causes relatively few, if any, side effects.

How much does photopheresis cost?

It is estimated that on an average, the ECP therapy requires nearly two to three hours at a stretch for the treatment to complete for various disease. Also, the patient is required to undergo the treatment once every two weeks for a year. The cost of per treatment is around US$8000 per treatment.

What are ECP treatments?

ECP is a standard treatment for a blood cancer that affects the skin. It’s also used to treat GVHD that hasn’t gotten better after steroid treatment. During ECP, your blood is collected and treated in a machine. The machine adds a chemical that makes the white blood cells sensitive to light.

What is ECP?

The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) is a pill that is taken after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. The ECP: Stops or delays the release of an egg from your ovaries until the sperm aren’t active in your body any more. Prevents the sperm from fertilising an egg by changing the way the sperm moves in your body.

How is ECP done?

ECP is performed via intravenous access and has 3 stages: (1) leukapheresis, (2) photoactivation, and (3) reinfusion of treated cell product back to the patient. A number of open and closed systems exist. In the United States, only closed systems have been FDA approved.

What is leukapheresis procedure?

Leukapheresis is a procedure used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or patients with very high white blood cell counts. During leukapheresis, your blood passes through a machine that takes out the white blood cells and returns all the other blood cells and plasma back into the bloodstream.

Why is ECP used?

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a cutting-edge, nonsurgical procedure to treat graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a complication of bone marrow and stem cell transplants and other autoimmune disorders in children. ECP is also used to treat solid organ transplant rejection.

What does skin GVHD look like?

Acute skin GVHD usually shows up as a skin rash that appears on the palms of hands, the soles of feet, arms, legs, chest and back. The rash usually feels itchy and dry, and in severe cases the skin may blister and peel as it would after a bad sunburn.