Survivors of childhood cancer at increased risk of developing hormonal disorders

Mainly because of exposure to radiotherapy, people who survived childhood cancer may be at increased risk of developing hormonal disorders that may lead to thyroid disease, testicular dysfunction, and diabetes. To warn health care providers of these risks, the Endocrine Society, an international medical organization, published this week a "Clinical Practice Guideline" that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM) [19659002]. Said Charles Sklar of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York who chaired the editorial board that developed the guideline.

The endocrine system has eight major glands that make hormones that help control many important organs. functions, including the regulation of blood glucose.

Childhood cancer is relatively rare, and because of improvements in treatment and patient care, current five-year survival rates exceed 80%.

to develop sleep problems and sleepiness during the day as adults and hypertension, even decades after the end of cancer treatment.

Endocrine dis orders are particularly common in this population, often because of their previous treatments, especially exposure to radiotherapy.

Exposure to major endocrine organs, including the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid and gonads, places cancer survivors in

Recent data show that around 50 % of these survivors will develop an endocrine disorder during their lifetime.

This disease can develop several decades after cancer treatment, highlighting the importance of ongoing surveillance.

The guide recommends methods for diagnosing and managing certain endocrine disorders and growth in children who have survived cancer.

He recommends long-term screening of childhood cancer survivors for growth disorders, pituitary deficits and precocious puberty. . "

" Our new guideline addresses the growing risk of endocrine disruption among cancer survivors in children. It highlights the importance of screening these survivors throughout life for early detection and optimal patient care, "said Sklar

Source: IANS
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Published: July 1, 2018 1:25 pm Updated: July 1, 2018 1:26 pm