Therapeutic applications of photopheresis

Abstract

Photopheresis is a useful therapy for advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, particularly for Sezary syndrome. Additional conditions in which clinical studies have suggested a therapeutic role for photopheresis include certain autoimmune diseases and reversal of rejection of solid organ allografts. Because photopheresis is extremely well tolerated and evidence is lacking for a direct immunosuppressive effect produced by this therapy, randomized trials should be pursued to determine the full spectrum of clinical benefit of this novel therapeutic modality.