[The effect of combined ALL therapy in childhood on body growth]

Female ALL long-term survivors who received cranial telecobalt radiation under the conditions of Therapy Study III of the Study Group on "Paediatric Haematology/Oncology" showed a significant reduction in adult height. On completion of therapy a drop in growth can already be observed in female ALL patients. This limitation on growth can probably be attributed to a disturbance in the hypothalamus-hypophysis system and to reduced GH secretion as a result of radiation.