|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Behavioral Immunology Clinic
The Behavioral Immunology Clinic of the Mind-Body Program is a clinical service specializing in the evaluation and treatment of behavioral side effects resulting from treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Patients typically receive IFN-alpha in combination with ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection or at higher doses for the treatment of several types of cancer, including malignant melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. While IFN-alpha is frequently helpful in all these conditions, its use is hampered by a very high rate of psychiatric side effects. The most common of these side effects are depression, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty thinking/concentrating and irritability. While the severity of these symptoms varies from person to person, most patients receiving IFN-alpha experience some degree of one or more of these problems. When severe, these behavioral side effects are the most frequent cause of treatment discontinuation. Unfortunately, when treatment is discontinued patients often lose the clinical benefits associated with IFN-alpha therapy. Thus, by helping patients better tolerate these behavioral side effects, the clinic can play a key role in assuring that patients derive maximum benefit from their IFN-alpha therapy.
The Behavioral Immunology Clinic specializes in applying state of the art knowledge to dealing with the full spectrum of IFN-alpha-related behavioral side effects. We are available for consultation prior to starting IFN-alpha to determine a person’s risk for developing psychiatric symptoms during treatment. In patients judged to be at high risk for developing behavioral symptoms, the Clinic will make recommendations for pre-treatment strategies to reduce depression, anxiety and other IFN-alpha-related side effects. The Clinic also is available for the treatment of patients already on IFN-alpha who are struggling with one or more behavioral side effect. In addition, the Behavioral Immunology Clinic works closely with researchers in the Mind-Body Program to determine whether a patient may be especially likely to benefit from ongoing research trials of new medications to treat IFN-alpha induced behavioral symptoms.
For more information on the Behavioral Immunology Clinic please call (404) 727-8260. |
|
| |
|
|
|
