Growth after treatment of solid tumours in childhood

We examined 90 survivors of childhood solid tumours diagnosed in our hospital between 1960 and 1976. Their ages at the time of this study ranged from 12.2 to 41.5 years. Adult standing height was usually normal. However, final standing height was less than expected in the females, and sitting height was below the normal mean in the males. The males who had received both chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the spine had a greater decrement in sitting height, but we did not find any association between radiation therapy to the spine without chemotherapy and subsequent total growth of the spine as measured by sitting height. We conclude that these children generally do not experience any major growth disturbances.