title: Influence of irradiation and chemotherapy on the ovaries of children with abdominal tumours.
abstract: The ovaries of children with abdominal tumours were studied in 12 autopsy specimens. Ovaries from 25 children who died in accidents or after a short acute disease served as controls. All ovaries from normal children showed follicle growth, but follicle development was inhibited in 67% of the children with abdominal tumours. The effect of treatment with cytotoxic drugs and/or abdominal irradiation on ovarian morphology was investigated. Normal ovaries were found only in children who had received no chemotherapy or a short course. All patients who had been treated with radiation therapy either alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy had severely damaged ovaries: follicle growth was inhibited in all cases, and the number of small non-growing follicles was markedly reduced in most. It is argued that abdominal irradiation might impair follicle development as well as destroy small follicles.
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents