Extracorporeal photophoresis (ECP) has become a useful adjunct for the treatment of GVHD after stem cell transplant and for solid organ
transplant rejection. ECP is an attractive treatment modality as the immunomodulatory mechanism of photopheresis is not accompanied by
harmful side-effects, such as severe immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to infections. This three-hour session will consist of four lectures. The first lecture will provide an overview of ECP with discussion of its mechanisms of action and clinical indications for its use. The second lecture will describe the use of ECP in the setting of chronic GVHD with discussion of risk factors for the development of acute and chronic GVHD, review of treatment, prolonged duration of systemic immunosuppression, outcomes of patients with chronic GVHD, and review of patient outcomes with use of ECP for treatment of acute and chronic GVHD. The third lecture will discuss the use of ECP for acute and
chronic GVHD in a pediatric population highlighting any difference with treatment compared to adults. The fourth lecture will discuss the use of ECP for treatment of solid organ transplant rejection, particularly in heart and lung transplant recipients, in both pediatric and adult patients, with
discussion of the use of ECP in this patient population for prophylaxis and/or management of chronic rejection.