engleski

PACE OF THE LINEAR BODY GROWTH IN HEIGHT AND BODY WEIGHT IN CHILDREN WITH MALIGNANT DISEASE DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF TREATMENT

We wanted to estimate the incidence for delays in linear body growth, and body growth velocity in children with malignant disease during initial, most aggressive period of treatment. The effects of therapy on body height (BH) and body weight (BW) in children with acute leukemia and malignant brain tumor during the first year of treatment were evaluated. In relation to body growth curves of healthy children of the same chronological age, 3-6 months after initiating oncological therapy, we found a decrease of growth velocity and stagnation of BH in 71% (20/28) of patients. In the period of 7-12 months after therapy has started, 1/3 patients with total grow failure have significant catch-up growth and equalizes linear BH. The some quantitative changes we find in the pace of BW changes. During consolidation phases of treatment, when oncological therapy was less aggressive, in 68% (19/28) of patients was no more loss in BW (Table). The problem of late sequels of childhood cancer and its treatment is increasing. Few years after treatment is done, 2-3 patients have signs of endocrine dysfunction. That is more common in children treated for brain tumor. With those patients with grow failure and low level of growth hormone substitution therapy is necessary. In most of the cases children with leukemia are recovering from growth failure after treatment is done. Acute toxicities of therapy in children with cancer are most expressed during aggressive multi-agent induction chemotherapy. Our results show that large failure of the linear BH and BW during first months of treatment in most cases is temporary. It is less expressed during less toxic, maintenance therapy.

linear body growth; body weight; treatment; malignant disease

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