Gonadal function in adolescent patients submitted to chemotherapy during childhood or during the pubertal period.

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE:

To determine the presence of impaired gonadal function in adolescent patients submitted to chemotherapy during childhood or during the pubertal period.

DESIGN:

A case series study of 28 patients aged 12 to 19 years with menarche at least 2 years before the study.

SETTING:

Tertiary care public hospital.

PARTICIPANTS:

Group I: 14 adolescents previously submitted to chemotherapy during the prepubertal or peripubertal period and with remission of oncologic disease for at least 2 years; Group II: 14 normal adolescents with no previous oncologic disease and with regular menstrual cycles.

INTERVENTIONS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Pubertal development, menstrual cycles and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined during the early follicular phase.

RESULTS:

There were no differences between the two groups in terms of age at appearance of secondary sexual characteristics or age at menarche. Menstrual irregularity was detected in 7 of the 14 patients in Group I, all 8 of whom presented oligomenorrhea. There were no differences in LH levels between the two groups (P = 0.55), although mean FSH levels were higher in Group I than in Group II (6.71 +/- 2.99 mIU/ml vs. 3.83 +/- 2.01 mIU/ml, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION:

Although girls submitted to chemotherapy during the prepubertal or peripubertal period presented normal sexual development, the incidence of oligomenorrhea was higher than expected for their age, and FSH levels, although within normal limits, were higher than those seen in normally cycling girls.

• Authors: Ana Carolina J S Rosa e Silva, Julio Cesar Rosa e Silva, Rosana M Reis, Luís G Tone, Marcos F Silva de Sá, Rui A Ferriani
• Journal: Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology (J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol) Vol. 20 Issue 2 Pg. 89-91 (Apr 2007) ISSN: 1083-3188 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17418392 (Publication Type: Historical Article, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antineoplastic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Female
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (blood)
• Hematologic Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• History, 16th Century
• Humans
• Incidence
• Oligomenorrhea (epidemiology)
• Ovary (drug effects)
• Puberty (physiology)