title: Management of psychiatric adverse events with immunotherapy with interferon-alfa.
abstract: Immunotherapy with interferon-alfa has become standard therapy in selected patients with viral hepatitis and chronic myelogenous leukemia. In addition, it is used in a variety of other diseases, both as standard therapy and in clinical trials. Its use is expected to expand in the following decade. Interferon can cause (severe) neuropsychiatric side effects. These side effects are discussed. Adequate management of these side effects is important, as is close collaboration between the oncologist and the psychiatrist. The cornerstone of management is patient education: this prevents interruption of therapy by patients who were not warned for neuropsychiatric side effects. Furthermore, patients should report in case of rapidly arising mood disorders. Interferon-alfa induced mood disorder is reported to be treatable. Three case descriptions illustrate this, but also illustrate some limits to successful treatment.
authors.affiliation: 1University Hospital Rotterdam - Daniel Oncology Clinic,Department of Psychosocial Oncology.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Van Gool
authors.affiliation: 2University Hospital Rotterdam - Daniel Oncology Clinic,Department of Internal Oncology.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kruit
authors.affiliation: 3University Hospital Rotterdam - Daniel Oncology Clinic,Department of Hematology.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cornelissen
authors.affiliation: 4Albert Schweitzer Hospital,Department of Internal Medicine,Zwijndrecht.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.affiliation: 5University Hospital Rotterdam - Daniel Oncology Clinic,Department of Surgical Oncology.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.affiliation: 1University Hospital Rotterdam - Daniel Oncology Clinic,Department of Psychosocial Oncology.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bannink