Purpose: Somatostatin analogs and interferon alfa control hormone-active/functional neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors. In addition to hormonal control, variable degrees of antiproliferative effects for both agents have been reported. Until now, however, no prospective, randomized studies in therapy-naive patients have compared somatostatin analogs or interferon alfa alone with a comb...

Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin malignancy because of its aggressive behaviour. In advanced disease, interferon alfa can be used as adjuvant therapy. However, this therapy is not free of side effects. We present a case of severe Raynaud syndrome and digital necrosis induced by interferon alfa in a patient with melanoma. Pathogenic mechanisms are discussed.

We report a rare case of severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia triggered by pegylated interferon during combination therapy for chronic HCV. This case demonstrated that interferon can de novo induce autoimmune hemolytic anemia during therapy for chronic hepatitis C in a previously healthy patient.

We present the case of a patient who first developed symptoms of celiac disease while on interferon-based therapy for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. He required hospital admission for symptom management and diagnostic work-up of severe diarrhoea. He made a rapid recovery with a gluten-free diet and was able to continue therapy. Consideration should be given to screening for celiac disease pr...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review here the recent literature regarding hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy through January 2013. We discuss current therapies, targets for new therapies, and what might be expected in this rapidly changing field. RECENT FINDINGS Boceprevir-based and telaprevir-based triple therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin marked the beginning of a new era in HCV therapy fo...

Boceprevir is a first generation serin protease NS3/4A inhibitor, formally available in Italy from 2013 and often used for the treatment of CHC genotype 1, always in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin; known as the triple therapy. The main advantages of using boceprevir are the higher SVR percentage and shorter treatment time; 28 weeks if eRVR-extended rapid virological respons...

BACKGROUND The current standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of pegylated interferon alpha in combination with ribavirin. Interferon therapy has many psychiatric side effects, with depressive symptomatology being most prominent. The aim of the study was to establish the frequency and severity of depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C during two mo...

RESULTS—Median age at the onset of type 1 diabetes was 56 (interquartile range 48–63) years and mean 6 SD BMI was 20.8 6 2.7 kg/m. The time period from the initiation of interferon therapy to type 1 diabetes onset in patients receiving pegylated interferon and ribavirin was significantly shorter than that in patients with nonpegylated interferon single therapy (P, 0.05). Anti-islet autoantibodi...

Immunologic and antitumor effects of human recombinant interferon-gamma were studied in patients with renal cell carcinoma. A daily dose of 6 to 12 x 10(6) units/m2 of interferon-gamma was given by intravenous drip infusion or intramuscular injection to nine patients over a period varying from two to 16 weeks. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and OKIa1-positive monocytes count incr...

BACKGROUND Interferon inhibitory activity (IIA) is a logical candidate for explaining neutralizing antibody-negative partial responsiveness to interferon beta in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its role has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of IIA and soluble interferon-alpha/beta receptor (sIFNR) in determining response of patients with MS to interferon beta therapy. DESIG...