Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy in Intestinal Behcet's Disease.

Intestinal Behcet's disease is a rare, immune-mediated chronic intestinal inflammatory disease; therefore, clinical trials to optimize the management and treatment of patients are scarce. Moreover, intestinal Behcet's disease is difficult to treat and often requires surgery because of the failure of conventional medical treatment. Administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a potential therapeutic strategy, is currently under active clinical investigation, and evidence of its effectiveness for both intestinal Behcet's disease and inflammatory bowel diseases has been accumulating. Here, we review updated data on current experiences and outcomes after the administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha for the treatment of intestinal Behcet's disease. In addition to infliximab and adalimumab, which are the most commonly used agents, we describe agents such as golimumab, etanercept, and certolizumab pegol, which have recently been shown to be effective in refractory intestinal Behcet's disease. This review also discusses safety issues associated with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha, including vulnerability to infections and malignancy.