Late effects of radiation and chemotherapy on children with malignant lymphomas

ABSTRACT

This study included all survival children [18 patients] with histopathological diagnosis of malignant lymphomas and treated during the period 1974-1985 inclusive. Follow up assessment was carried between July 1988 to the end of December 1988 to search for the treatment complications. Twelve out of 18 children [55.6%] showed late sequelae. Combined hypogonadism and stunted growth was the commonest 4/18 [22.2%] followed by hypognadism [11.1%], hypothyroidism [11.1%] while stunted growth alone and subcutaneous fibrosis occurred only in one patient [5.6%]. Complications related to combined treatment appeared in 7/11 cases [63.6% while appeared in 2/4 [50%] for those treated by chemotherapy and 1/3 cases [33.3%] for those treated by radiotherapy. Follow up period proved to be a statistically significant factor for detecting such complications as 85.7% [6/7] of cases followed for moor than 5 years showed complications versus 36.4% [4/11] of cases followed less than 5 years. There was no statistically significant effect in I.Q. of children who received prophylactic cranial irradiation