BACKGROUND: Data have suggested that any increased incidence of leukemia in growth-hormone (GH)-treated patients was limited to those with known risk factors for leukemia. However, previous studies may have overestimated the numbers of patient-years of risk by not excluding data from "positive-risk-factor" patients. This risk was reanalyzed by using data on children in the National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS), with correction for this possible confounding factor. METHODS: The risk of leukemia in GH-treated patients without known risk factors was determined by using patient-years of GH therapy and patient-years since first exposure to GH therapy and the values obtained were compared with values from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute. RESULTS: Three cases of leukemia in patients without known risk factors were found in the NCGS database; 3.42 cases would be expected in the 119,846 patient-years in the analysis using time since GH exposure. Two of these cases of leukemia occurred during GH therapy (67,773 patient-years); 2.13 cases would be expected. CONCLUSION: Excluding data on patients with known risk factors for leukemia provides a more accurate estimate of the risks in GH-treated patients. The incidence of leukemia in these patients is comparable to that in the general population of age-matched children.
BACKGROUND: Data have suggested that any increased incidence of leukemia in growth-hormone (GH)-treated patients was limited to those with known risk factors for leukemia. However, previous studies may have overestimated the numbers of patient-years of risk by not excluding data from "positive-risk-factor" patients. This risk was reanalyzed by using data on children in the National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS), with correction for this possible confounding factor. METHODS: The risk of leukemia in GH-treated patients without known risk factors was determined by using patient-years of GH therapy and patient-years since first exposure to GH therapy and the values obtained were compared with values from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute. RESULTS: Three cases of leukemia in patients without known risk factors were found in the NCGS database; 3.42 cases would be expected in the 119,846 patient-years in the analysis using time since GH exposure. Two of these cases of leukemia occurred during GH therapy (67,773 patient-years); 2.13 cases would be expected. CONCLUSION: Excluding data on patients with known risk factors for leukemia provides a more accurate estimate of the risks in GH-treated patients. The incidence of leukemia in these patients is comparable to that in the general population of age-matched children.
Authors: Sripriya Raman; Adda Grimberg; Steven G Waguespack; Bradley S Miller; Charles A Sklar; Lillian R Meacham; Briana C Patterson Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2015-04-03 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Lisa Diller; Eric J Chow; James G Gurney; Melissa M Hudson; Nina S Kadin-Lottick; Toana I Kawashima; Wendy M Leisenring; Lillian R Meacham; Ann C Mertens; Daniel A Mulrooney; Kevin C Oeffinger; Roger J Packer; Leslie L Robison; Charles A Sklar Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2009-04-13 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Larry A Greenbaum; Guillermo Hidalgo; Deepa Chand; Myra Chiang; Katherine Dell; Theresa Kump; Lena Peschansky; Holly K Smith; Mary Boyle; Michelle Kopf; Lisa C Metz; Margaret Kamel; John D Mahan Journal: Pediatr Nephrol Date: 2008-06-05 Impact factor: 3.714