title: Selective immmunotherapy through extracorporeal photochemotherapy: yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
abstract: ECP's extensive clinical record, as well as a considerable improvement in the understanding of the mechanism that underlies its efficacy, opens potential novel strategies for the treatment of cancer, GVHD, transplant rejection, and autoimmunity. The low side effect profile of this therapy has made it a more attractive treatment consideration than current conventional chemotherapeutic and immunosuppressive medications. As the mechanism of action of ECP is more fully elucidated and clinical studies are completed, the role of ECP in modern therapeutics of CTCL and other malignancies, as well as in the treatment of other T-cell mediated diseases, will be become clearer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yale University, School of Medicine, Post Office Box 208059, New Haven, CT 06520-8059, USA. michael.girardi@yale.edu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knobler
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edelson
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents