ENDOCRINOLOGIC CARE OF CHILDREN WITH MALI GNANT BRAIN-TUMORS - INITIAL ANALYSIS OF THE GERMAN HIT-STUDY

Background In 1987, a pilot trial (HIT 88/89) was initiated by GPOH to investigate the effectivity and toxicity of intense preradiation chem otherapy. The aim of this study was to improve the treatment of childr en with malignant brain tumors, but provided no standardized recording of auxological and/or endocrinological parameters. In 1993 a sub-proj ect, ''Endocrinological late effects'', was started during the ongoing study to examine the late effects of treatment, and a retrospective e valuation was performed in order to standardize parameters. Patients W e considered auxological and hormonal data from those patients (n = 13 3; 78 m, 55 f) who were alive at the time of the survey, and had compl eted tumor therapy. Results Analysis of the growth pattern of the chil dren after the end of therapy indicate impaired growth. Group 1 (n = 7 7, CA < 10 yrs): Mean height SDS at tumor diagnosis was + 0.32 (n = 77 ), and fell constantly after completion of therapy to - 0.75 (n = 16) after 3-4.5 yrs. Group 2 (n = 56, CA > 10 yr): Height SDS-CA fell from + 0.24 (n = 45) at the time of diagnosis, to - 0.62 (n = 14) after 3- 4.5 yrs. Unfortunately, only body height and weight were recorded regu larly, data on sitting height, pubertal stage and bone age were incomp lete. Endocrine evaluation after end of therapy was insufficient. Conc lusions A standardization of endocrinological follow up is necessary a s soon as possible, for an adequate description of the endocrinologica l late effects.