Extracorporeal Photopheresis

What is Extracorporeal Photopheresis?

Extracorporeal photopheresis is a treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (a serious but rare skin condition) and certain other types of cancer. The procedure is similar to donating blood.

Mercy specialists are experienced in performing extracorporeal photopheresis. If you’re a candidate for this treatment for T-Cell lymphoma, your Mercy doctor will explain exactly what you can expect and answer any questions you might have.

How Does Extracorporeal Photopheresis Work?

Specialists draw blood from your body and treat it with a light-sensitizing drug. Then the blood is exposed to ultraviolet light, which kills the lymphoma cancer cells. Finally, these cancer-free cells are mixed back in with the rest of the blood and safely returned back into your bloodstream.

As part of a coordinated team of health experts, your doctor is focused on providing the care that’s right for you. At Mercy, we have one overriding goal: to get you beyond cancer and back to a life of doing the things you love.