Endocrine function following the treatment of acute leukemia in childhood.

Pituitary function has been studied in 25 children after treatment of acute leukemia. Impaired growth hormone responses both to hypoglycemia and to Bovril were found in 11 subjects. Elevated basal thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were seen in five children, three of whom had an augmented TSH response to thyrotrophin-releasing hormone. Radiation-induced damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary region is thought to be the cause of these abnormalities in growth hormone and in secretion of TSH. The peak cortisol response to hypoglycaemia is significantly decreased in the group of subjects who received the higher dose of cranial radiation therapy, but no individual child is hypothyroid or shows impaired adrenal function, clinically or biochemically. Three prepubertal girls studied have biochemical evidence of ovarian failure following the use of combination chemotherapy.