[Bleomycin and pulmonary function changes in children with malignant lymphomas]

In 25 patients under 18 years of age with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with bleomycin as part of the treatment with several cytostatics, the diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was determined before, during and after this treatment to investigate the damaging effect of bleomycin on the lungs. The DLCO decreased in 18 of the 25 children; the degree of decrease depended both on the total dosage (max. 120 mg/sq.m body surface) and on the dose per administration (5 or 10 mg/sq.m). Eight of these 18 children were followed up for some time after discontinuation of bleomycin treatment. During the relatively brief follow-up period of one year on average, complete recovery of pulmonary function was seen in none of these children; in two, partial recovery occurred. It is necessary to study the changes of DLCO for a longer period after bleomycin treatment, as well as the factors that influence recovery of pulmonary function in children.