What do I need to know before starting treatment?

Positive clinician engaging with male patient

How can I prepare for ECP treatment?

Your doctor or nurse will tell you the best way for you to prepare, based on your individual health and medical condition.

Remember to tell your doctor or nurse about any other conditions (such as heart problems, or low blood volume/pressure), as well as any medications you may be taking before starting treatment.

There are several things you can do to prepare yourself which may help with your extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) treatment.

For 2 days before

Drink plenty of fluids such as water or juice to stay hydrated to help your blood flow well during treatment
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Both can reduce the fluid in the body

The night before

Eat a low-fat, healthy meal such as fruit, yogurt, grains, and vegetables. This may make cell separation easier
Avoid high-fat foods such as high-fat meat, cream, fried food, cheese, eggs, butter and desserts

Treatment day

Eat a low-fat breakfast and lunch. Don’t skip any meals
Visit the bathroom right before treatment starts
You can read, email, watch TV, or nap to help pass the time
Bring ultraviolet A-protective, wrap-around sunglasses that protect from ultraviolet A light, to wear after the procedure

The 24 hours after

Because the drug used in ECP makes you more sensitive to sunlight for about 24 hours, you will need to protect your eyes and skin from the sun during this time
Avoid sunlight as much as possible, even indirect sunlight coming through a window
When exposed to direct or indirect sunlight, outdoors or indoors, wear long-sleeved garments and long pants, apply sunscreen SPF 15 or higher to exposed skin, and wear ultraviolet A-protective, wrap-around sunglasses

What happens during treatment with
Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)?

Label 1 of the diagram points to the catheter in the patient's left arm. You will be connected to the ECP instrument by a thin flexible tube (called a catheter), which will be inserted into a vein, usually in your arm. A small amount of your blood is collected through this tube.

Label 2 of the diagram, which is pointing to the ECP instrument. The ECP instrument separates the different parts that make up your blood by centrifugation. Your red blood cells and plasma are returned to you straight away, while your white blood cells remain in the ECP instrument for treatment.

Label 3 of the diagram points to the tubing and components near the base of the instrument. Inside the ECP instrument, your white blood cells will be treated with a drug, which will then be exposed to ultraviolet A light to 'activate' it.

Label 4 of the diagram points to the arm where blood is being drawn from a patient, processed by a CELLEX machine, and then returned to the body. The treated white blood cells are then returned to your bloodstream.

What are the side effects of ECP treatment?

During treatment, you may feel

A slight pulsing from the treatment
Pain at the injection site

A slight chill or cold feeling where your blood is returned to your body
Tired, which may be caused by low levels of red blood cells

Dizzy or weak, which may be signs of low blood pressure – your doctor or nurse will monitor you during treatment for low blood pressure

Other possible side effects such as fever or skin redness at the injection site may go away within a day. Venous access carries a small risk of infection and pain. For further information on ECP side effects, please read the Important Safety Information here and talk to your doctor.

What happens during treatment with Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)?

You will be connected to the instrument throughout the procedure
The procedure usually takes between 1 to 3 hours to complete and varies from patient to patient
It is a sterile procedure, and your blood will not come into contact with anybody else’s blood that has been treated with the instrument

The information provided in this website should not be used as a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional.

Download Our Patient Brochure

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR THE THERAKOS™ PHOTOPHERESIS PROCEDURE

Indications

The THERAKOS™ CELLEX™ Photopheresis System is indicated for patients older than 18 years of age for the administration of photopheresis in the following:

Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)
Solid Organ Transplant Rejection (SOT) (heart, lung)

The THERAKOS™ CELLEX™ Photopheresis System is indicated in patients older than 3 years of age for the management of:

Acute and Chronic Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD, cGvHD)

Contraindications

THERAKOS^TM Photopheresis is contraindicated in:

Patients possessing a specific history of a light sensitive disease
Patients who cannot tolerate extracorporeal volume loss or who have white blood cell counts greater than 25,000 / mm³
Patients who have coagulation disorders or who have previously had a splenectomy

Warnings and Precautions

THERAKOS^TMPhotopheresis treatments should always be performed in locations where standard medical emergency equipment is available. Volume replacement fluids and/or volume expanders should be readily available throughout the procedure.

Do not expose the device to a magnetic resonance (MR) environment. The device may present a risk of projectile injury, and thermal injury and burns may occur. The device may generate artifacts in the MR image, or may not function properly.
Thromboembolic events, including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, have been reported in the treatment of Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD). Special attention to adequate anticoagulation is advised when treating patients with GvHD.
When prescribing and administering THERAKOS Photopheresis for patients receiving concomitant therapy, exercise caution when changing treatment schedules to avoid increased disease activity that may be caused by abrupt withdrawal of previous therapy.

Adverse Events

Hypotension may occur during any treatment involving extracorporeal circulation. Closely monitor the patient during the entire treatment for hypotension.
Transient pyretic reactions, 37.7–38.9°C (100–102°F), have been observed in some patients within six to eight hours of reinfusion of the photoactivated leukocyte-enriched blood. A temporary increase in erythroderma may accompany the pyretic reaction.
Treatment frequency exceeding labelling recommendations may result in anaemia.
Venous access carries a small risk of infection and pain.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR METHOXSALEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THERAKOS^TM PHOTOPHERESIS

Consult the 8-methoxypsoralen (Methoxsalen (20 micrograms / mL)) professional leaflet or the oral 8-methoxypsoralen formulation package insert before prescribing or dispensing any medication.

Warnings and Precautions

Patients exhibiting multiple basal cell carcinomas or having a history of basal cell carcinoma should be diligently observed and treated.
Methoxsalen may cause fetal harm when given to a pregnant woman. Women undergoing photopheresis should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant.
Special care should be exercised in treating patients who are receiving concomitant therapy (either topically or systemically) with known photosensitizing agents.
Oral administration of methoxsalen followed by cutaneous UVA exposure (PUVA therapy) is carcinogenic.
Patients should be told emphatically to wear UVA absorbing, wrap-around sunglasses for twenty-four (24) hours after methoxsalen treatment. They should wear these glasses any time they are exposed to direct or indirect sunlight, whether they are outdoors or exposed through a window.

Refer to the package insert for methoxsalen sterile solution (20 micrograms / mL) or the oral 8-methoxypsoralen dosage formulation for a list of all warnings and precautions.

What do I need to know before starting treatment?

How can I prepare for ECP treatment?

For 2 days before

The night before

Treatment day

The 24 hours after

What happens during treatment withExtracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)?

What are the side effects of ECP treatment?

During treatment, you may feel

What happens during treatment with Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)?

The information provided in this website should not be used as a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional.

Discover more

What is extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP)?

How does extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) work?

Patient stories

FAQ

Welcome to the Home of ECP

You are leaving the Therakos.eu website.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR THE THERAKOS™ PHOTOPHERESIS PROCEDURE

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR METHOXSALEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THERAKOSTM PHOTOPHERESIS

What happens during treatment with
Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)?

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR METHOXSALEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THERAKOS^TM PHOTOPHERESIS