title: The effect of abdominal radiation on spleen function: a study in children with Wilms' tumor.
abstract: Reports of splenic dysfunction in patients with Hodgkin's disease who received radiation therapy to the spleen raise questions concerning impairment of splenic function and the long-term risk of bacterial sepsis in children who receive abdominal radiation for other diseases. Splenic function was studied in 20 children with Wilms' tumor using a quantitative assessment of vacuolated ("pitted") red cells as a measure of reticuloendothelial function. Fourteen children had received abdominal radiation to a field involving the spleen at a median dose of 2000 rads. Their pitted red cells counts were no different from those of 6 children who received therapy without radiation to the spleen or to those of a group of normal children and adults. We conclude that there is no demonstrable long-term impairment of spleen function with radiation doses at or below 2200 rads.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zipursky
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013156:Splenectomy; D014617:Vacuoles; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*