Side Effects of Anti-TNF Treatments

Anti-TNF treatments inhibit the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF). TNF can cause systemic inflammation that results in chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Approved TNF inhibiting medications include infliximab and etanercept.

Allergic Reaction

• Allergic reaction may occur at the time of injection. The doctor or nurse will watch for symptoms. Swelling, rash, and fever signal an allergic reaction.

Worsening Tumors

• TNF can stimulate cell death in certain types of tumor cells. Theoretically, anti-TNF treatment could lead to faster tumor growth. But the short term studies lack enough evidence to make a solid conclusion at this time.

Lymphoma

• According to MedlinePlus, the FDA announced in the summer of 2009 that their studies have found that anti-TNF medications increase the lymphoma risk for adolescents and children taking the drug. Thirty reports of lymphoma were reported to the FDA during a period of ten years.

Anti-infliximab Response

• Infliximab began as a mouse antibody and contains a small amount of mouse sequence at the TNF binding site. This may cause the body to have an anti-infliximab response that would negate the effects of the medication. Etanercept contains only human sequences.

Infection

• TNF may cause inflammation but it also aids in ridding the immune system of harmful bacteria. According to Johns Hopkins, the number of people with tuberculosis and fungal infections increased once the FDA approved anti-TNF medications. Infliximab had the highest results of infection.