title: Growth hormone treatment and risk of malignancy.
abstract: Growth hormone (GH) treatment has been increasingly widely used for children with GH deficiencies as the survival rate of pediatric patients with malignancies has increased. Both GH and insulin-like growth factor-I have mitogenic and antiapoptotic activity, prompting concern that GH treatment may be associated with tumor development. In this review, the authors examined the relationship between GH treatment and cancer risk in terms of de novo malignancy, recurrence, and secondary neoplasm. Although the results from numerous studies were not entirely consistent, this review of various clinical and epidemiological studies demonstrated that there is no clear evidence of a causal relationship between GH treatment and tumor development. Nonetheless, a small number of studies reported that childhood cancer survivors who receive GH treatment have a small increased risk of developing de novo cancer and secondary malignant neoplasm. Therefore, regular follow-ups and careful examination for development of cancer should be required in children who receive GH treatment. Continued surveillance for an extended period is essential for monitoring long-term safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.affiliation: Sowha Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Seong
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Growth hormone; Malignancy insulin-like growth factor-I; Neoplasms; Recurrence