Sleep-related gonadotropin rhythms in children following treatment of acute leukemia: recovery of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis after chemotherapy and CNS-irradiation.
Twelve children (5 girls and 7 boys, between the ages of 6 and 20 years) in complete remission from previous ALL who had completed their entire anti-leukemic treatment program and who had been off all chemotherapy for at least one year, were included in a study of sleep-related prolactin and gonadotropin rhythms. All the patients had received prophylactic CNS-irradiation. The patients in early puberty showed a sleep-dependent FSH rhythm. Patients in middle-to-late puberty had sleep-related FSH and LH rhythms, and estradiol and testosterone plasma concentrations were normal for their pubertal stage, suggesting recovery of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal feedback system. We conclude that the neuro-endocrine axis is not permanently injured by CNS-irradiation and anti-leukemic therapy.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000528:radiation effects; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood*; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011627:Puberty
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006062:Gonadotropins; D011388:Prolactin