[Endocrine function following cranial radiotherapy of neoplasms in children]

The effect of radiotherapy upon the diencephalo-hypophyseal axis was studied in 14 children that had received cranial radio-therapy (2,400 to 6,000 R) to treat different intracranial tumors. Several hormones were evaluated between 2 months and 3 years after radiotherapy was performed. 35.7 per 100 of the patients were deficient in growth hormone, 37.5 per 100 showed an alteration of prolactin secretion, and 28 per 100 an abnormal response to thyroid-stimulating hormone.