title: Growth and growth hormone secretion in children following treatment of brain tumours with radiotherapy.
abstract: We have studied the growth of 144 children after treatment of brain tumours distant from the hypothalamo-pituitary axis. All had cranial irradiation and 87 spinal irradiation. In 56 patients observed without intervention for 3 years, height SDS in the cranial (CR) group (n = 20) declined from 0.02 to -0.44 and in the craniospinal (CS) group (n = 36) from -0.28 to -1.11. Failure of spinal growth had a marked effect in the CS group. The onset of puberty was slightly but not significantly advanced; median ages at onset of puberty were 10.3 years in girls and 12.1 years in boys. Of the total group 86.4% had clinical and biochemical evidence of growth hormone insufficiency. Fifty-two children, 33 (28 CS; 5 CR) of whom were prepubertal, received biosynthetic human growth hormone, in a dose of 15 mU/m2/week by daily injection for a period of one year. Height velocity SDS increased significantly in both groups from -2.74 to +1.90 (CS) and from -1.0 to +4.26 (CR). Spinal response to GH treatment was restricted in the craniospinal group.
authors: Endocrine Unit, Middlesex Hospital, London, U.K.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Darendeliler
authors: E A
authors: EA
authors: Livesey
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Hindmarsh
authors: C G
authors: CG
authors: Brook
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000528:radiation effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013131:Spine / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone