GROWTH-HORMONE TREATMENT IN IRRADIATED CHILDREN WITH BRAIN-TUMORS

We assessed the efficacy of GH treatment in 25 GH deficient patients i rradiated for brain tumors (eight with glioma cranio-irradiated, eleve n with medulloblastoma and six with ependymoma craniospinal-irradiated ). We administered GH at doses of 0.6-0.9 IU/kg/week for one to three years at least two years after diagnosis of the tumor. We assessed the efficacy of the treatment each year by comparing the values of height velocity over bone age and change in the ratios progression of chrono logical age/progression of bone age and progression of statural age/pr ogression of bone age. The treatment promoted satisfactory growth; bet ter results were obtained in patients with glioma, who received crania l irradiation only, than in those with medulloblastoma or ependymoma, who received spinal irradiation as well. Moreover, the growth prognosi s improved, especially in the cranio-irradiated patients. In our serie s of patients four presented tumor recurrence; these results did not d iffer significantly from those in irradiated patients with cerebral tu mors who were not treated with GH.