Original Article

J Korean Soc Pediatr Endocrinol. 2007; 12(2): 99-103.

Recurrence of Brain Tumors in Patients Treated with Growth Hormone.

Duk Hee Kim, Hyun Wook Chae, Mi Yung Kwon, and Ho Seong Kim

Department of Pediatrics, Severance Childrens Hospital, Institute of Endocrinology Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. dhkim3@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

PURPOSE
Growth hormone (GH) has been used successfully in the treatment of short stature secondary to GH deficiency in survivors of childhood brain tumors. There has been concerned that GH might increase the risk of tumor recurrence in spite of improvement of growth. METHODS: Data for tumor recurrence from 1997 to 2006 were analysed retrospectively in 56 patients with craniopharyngioma, 78 patients with medulloblastomas, 14 patients with germinomas and 139 patients with astrocytomas or gliomas after GH treatment. Serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 were measured.
RESULTS
57 GH deficient and growth retarded patients (17.4%) were treated with recombinant human GH and followed up 60 months after starting GH treatment. 6 patients (10.5%) (5 craniopharyngioma, 1 germinoma) were recurred among patients with GH therapy, but 17 patients (5.2%) were recurred among patients with non GH therapy. Tumor recurrence in GH treated group was not higher than in non GH treated group. There was no significant change in serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3 level and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio.
CONCLUSION
Tumor recurrence rates in surviving patients with brain tumors receiving GH treatment do not appear to be increased compared with non GH treatment. However, longer follow-up regarding recurrences and secondary neoplasms remains to be essential.

Keywords : Brain tumor recurrence, Growth hormone, Craniopharyngioma, Medulloblastoma, Germinoma