Endocrine outcome in long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors

To evaluate the rates of endocrine abnormalities in survivors of childhood brain tumors and identify risk factors.

The medical charts of patients were reviewed for background, disease-related and treatment-related data. Endocrine dysfunction was determined by clinical and laboratory evaluation.

The study group included 114 patients with a mean age of 15.57 ± 5.93 years. Mean age at brain tumor diagnosis was 7.07 ± 5.42 years, and mean follow-up was 12.8 ± 6.25 years. Fifty-seven patients (50%) had an endocrine abnormality. The occurrence of several endocrine abnormalities was significantly associated with cranial irradiation and age <16 years at tumor diagnosis. The presence of growth hormone deficiency (n = 40) was associated with cranial or spinal irradiation, younger age and prepubertal stage at tumor diagnosis; the presence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (n = 9) was associated with prepubertal stage at diagnosis, and hypothyroidism (n = 23) was associated with cranial irradiation. Hypocortisolism was diagnosed in 9 patients, short stature in 20 patients and obesity in 8 male patients. Patients with early puberty (n = 19) and an abnormal lipid profile (n = 15) were significantly younger at tumor diagnosis than patients without these disorders.

Childhood brain tumor survivors are at increased risk of late endocrine effects, particularly those treated with cranial radiation and diagnosed at a younger age. The frequency of hormonal deficits increases with time, warranting lifelong surveillance.