What is plasmapheresis for sepsis after cancer treatment?

Question

Hello doctor,

My brother had lung cancer treatment recently and developed a severe infection during recovery. Doctors said he went into sepsis and needed ICU care. They did a procedure called plasmapheresis, which we had never heard of before, and would like your suggestions on the following:

What is plasmapheresis for sepsis after cancer treatment?
How does it help when antibiotics are already being given?
Is it done only in very severe cases?

He had low platelets and abnormal inflammatory markers at that time. We are worried if this complication means his body is too weak to continue cancer treatment safely.

Please suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and understand your concern.

I understand how frightening it must have been for your family to see your brother develop a severe infection after cancer treatment and require ICU (intensive care unit) care. Sepsis happens when the body develops a very strong and uncontrolled response to an infection.

In patients who have recently undergone cancer treatment, the immune system can sometimes be weakened, which makes infections more severe. Antibiotics are always the main treatment because they directly target the infection, but in very serious cases, doctors may also try to control the body’s excessive inflammatory response.

Plasmapheresis is a procedure in which part of the patient’s plasma, the liquid portion of the blood, is removed and replaced with donor plasma or special replacement fluids. The idea is to remove harmful inflammatory substances circulating in the blood that may be worsening organ stress during severe sepsis.

It does not replace antibiotics but works alongside them by helping reduce the overwhelming inflammatory reaction. This treatment is generally reserved for more difficult situations and is not done for every case of sepsis.

Doctors may consider it when there are complications such as very high inflammatory markers, clotting disturbances, or low platelet counts, which sometimes occur in severe infections.

Having sepsis during recovery from cancer treatment does not automatically mean that your brother will not be able to continue cancer therapy later. Many patients recover from severe infections, and once their condition stabilizes and blood counts improve, cancer treatment can often be resumed safely.

The decision usually depends on how well the body recovers after the infection.

I hope I have addressed all of your queries and concerns.

For more queries, kindly reach out to me anytime.

Thank you.