scholarly journals The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in childhood cancer survivors

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. R479-R496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Wei ◽  
Elizabeth C Crowne

Endocrine abnormalities are common among childhood cancer survivors. Abnormalities of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPAA) are relatively less common, but the consequences are severe if missed. Patients with tumours located and/or had surgery performed near the hypothalamic–pituitary region and those treated with an accumulative cranial radiotherapy dose of over 30 Gy are most at risk of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) deficiency. Primary adrenal insufficiency may occur in patients with tumours located in or involving one or both adrenals. The effects of adjunct therapies also need to be considered, particularly, new immunotherapies. High-dose and/or prolonged courses of glucocorticoid treatment can result in secondary adrenal insufficiency, which may take months to resolve and hence reassessment is important to ensure patients are not left on long-term replacement steroids inappropriately. The prevalence and cumulative incidences of HPAA dysfunction are difficult to quantify because of its non-specific presentation and lack of consensus regarding its investigations. The insulin tolerance test remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of central cortisol deficiency, but due to its risks, alternative methods with reduced diagnostic sensitivities are often used and must be interpreted with caution. ACTH deficiency may develop many years after the completion of oncological treatment alongside other pituitary hormone deficiencies. It is essential that health professionals involved in the long-term follow-up of childhood cancer survivors are aware of individuals at risk of developing HPAA dysfunction and implement appropriate monitoring and treatment.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e23070-e23070
Author(s):  
Wendy Bottinor ◽  
Justin Godown ◽  
Gary Coburn ◽  
Jonathan Soslow ◽  
Scott C. Borinstein

e23070 Background: In patients receiving active chemotherapy, myocardial strain has prognostic utility for risk of subsequent cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized a decrement in strain in early off-treatment childhood cancer survivors (CCS) is prognostic for developing cardiomyopathy. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed in 22 CCS. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global circumferential strain (GCS) were assessed at baseline and on the first end-of-treatment study with adequate imaging quality. Parametric methods assessed the association between changes in GLS/GCS and cardiovascular outcomes. Results: All CCS had normal echocardiograms at baseline and on the first end-of-treatment study . On long-term follow up 5/22 developed echocardiographic abnormalities defined as either left ventricular ejection fraction < 55% (n = 4) and/or left ventricular mass Z score < -2.0 (n = 4). Mean age at diagnosis was (mean ± SEM) 13.0 ± 1.3 and 10.7 ± 1.2, p = 0.37 for those without and with long-term abnormalities respectively. Patients who developed long-term echocardiographic abnormalities had a greater decrement in GCS between baseline and fist end-of-treatment echocardiograms (-6.9 ± 0.9% vs -0.7 ± 1.2%, p = 0.011) and a trend towards greater decrement in GLS (-1.5 ± 1.3% vs 1.2 ± 0.7%, p = 0.069). In early off-therapy CCS an absolute change in GCS of 7% was associated with subsequent cardiovascular dysfunction within 10 years. Conclusions: Change in GCS of 7% or greater from baseline to first end-of-treatment echocardiogram may identify CCS at risk for cardiomyopathy on long-term follow up and offer a window for early intervention. Strain imaging may provide an early method of identifying CCS at higher risk for developing cardiomyopathy on long-term follow up. These survivors may benefit from increased surveillance or early intervention with cardioprotective therapies.


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (24) ◽  
pp. 3635-3643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M. Hudson ◽  
Shesh N. Rai ◽  
Cesar Nunez ◽  
Thomas E. Merchant ◽  
Neyssa M. Marina ◽  
...  

Purpose Childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines and cardiac radiation are at risk for late-onset cardiotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to delineate the relationship between clinical factors and abnormalities of noninvasive cardiac testing (NICT). Patients and Methods Participants were recruited from a long-term follow-up clinic. Study measures comprised physical examination, laboratory evaluation, echocardiogram, and ECG. Mean fractional shortening (FS) and afterload were compared for survivors who did (at risk [AR]) and did not (no risk [NR]) receive potentially cardiotoxic modalities, and with values expected for comparable age- and sex-matched controls. Results The 278 study participants (mean age, 18.1 years; median age, 16.8 years; range, 7.5 to 39.7 years) included 223 survivors AR for cardiotoxicity after treatment with anthracyclines (median dose ± standard deviation [SD], 202 ± 109 mg/m2) and/or cardiac radiation. Mean FS (± SD) was lower for AR (0.33 ± 0.06) compared with NR survivors (0.36 ± 0.05; P = .004) and normative controls (0.36 ± 0.04; P < .001). Mean afterload (± SD) was higher for AR (58 ± 21 g/cm2) compared with NR survivors (46 ± 15 g/cm2; P < .001) and normative controls (48 ± 13 g/cm2; P < .001). The distribution of FS and afterload among NR survivors did not differ from that of controls. After adjustment for age group at diagnosis and time since completion of therapy, anthracycline dose predicted decline in distribution of FS (P < .001) and increase in distribution of afterload (P < .001). Treatment with anthracycline doses ≥ 100 mg/m2 increased the risk of abnormal NICT; survivors who received ≥ 270 mg/m2 had a 4.5-fold excess risk of abnormal NICT (95% CI, 2.1 to 9.6) compared with controls. Conclusion Childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracycline doses ≥ 270 mg/m2 are at greatest risk for abnormalities of FS and afterload.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. e0232708
Author(s):  
Nina Streefkerk ◽  
Wim J. E. Tissing ◽  
Joke C. Korevaar ◽  
Eline van Dulmen-den Broeder ◽  
Dorine Bresters ◽  
...  

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Otth ◽  
Patrick Wechsler ◽  
Sibylle Denzler ◽  
Henrik Koehler ◽  
Katrin Scheinemann

Abstract Background The successful transition of childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) from pediatric to adult long-term follow-up care is a critical phase, and determining the right time point can be challenging. We assessed the feasibility of the use of existing transition readiness tools in the context of the Swiss health care system, assessed partly transition readiness in Swiss CCSs, and compared our findings with Canadian CCSs for which these tools were originally developed. Methods We officially translated the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS) and Self-Management Skill Scale (SMSS) into German and integrated them into this cross-sectional study. We included CCSs attending the long-term follow-up (LTFU) clinic in the Division of Oncology-Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Kantonsspital Aarau. We used descriptive statistics to describe transition readiness. Results We randomly recruited 50 CCSs aged ≥18 years at participation. The CCSs had a median CWS score of 62 (interquartile range 55–71), indicating a moderate level of cancer-related worry. Despite high self-management skills, some answers showed a dependency of CCSs on their parents. Our experience shows that the CWS and SMSS are easy for Swiss CCSs to use, understand, and complete. The interpretation of the results must take differences in health care systems between countries into account. Conclusions The translated CWS and SMSS are appropriate additional measures to assess transition readiness in CCSs. These scales can be used longitudinally to find the individual time point for transition and the completion by CCSs enables the health care team to individualize the transition process and to support the CCSs according to their individual needs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morven C. Brown ◽  
Gillian A. Levitt ◽  
Eva Frey ◽  
Edit Bárdi ◽  
Riccardo Haupt ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigrid Pemberger ◽  
Reinhold Jagsch ◽  
Eva Frey ◽  
Rosemarie Felder-Puig ◽  
Helmut Gadner ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
L. M. E. van Erp ◽  
H. Maurice-Stam ◽  
L. C. M. Kremer ◽  
W. J. E. Tissing ◽  
H. J. H. van der Pal ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to increase our understanding of the psychosocial well-being of young adult childhood cancer survivors (YACCS) as well as the positive and negative impacts of cancer. Methods YACCS (aged 18–30, diagnosed ≤ 18, time since diagnosis ≥ 5 years) cross-sectionally filled out the “Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Young Adults” (PedsQL-YA), “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale” (HADS), and “Checklist Individual Strengths” (CIS-20R) to measure fatigue and survivor-specific “Impact of Cancer - Childhood Survivors” (IOC-CS), which measures the long-term impact of childhood cancer in several domains. Descriptive statistics (IOC-CS), logistic regression (HADS, CIS-20R), and ANOVA (PedsQL-YA, HADS, CIS-20R) were performed. Associations between positive and negative impacts of childhood cancer and psychosocial outcomes were examined with linear regression analyses. Results YACCS (N = 151, 61.6% female, mean age 24.1 ± 3.6, mean time since diagnosis 13.6 ± 3.8) reported lower HRQOL (− .4 ≤ d ≤ − .5, p ≤ .001) and more anxiety (d = .4, p ≤ .001), depression (d = .4, p ≤ .01), and fatigue (.3 ≤ d ≤ .5, p ≤ .001) than young adults from the general Dutch population. They were at an increased risk of experiencing (sub)clinical anxiety (OR = 1.8, p = .017). YACCS reported more impact on scales representing a positive rather than negative impact of CC. Various domains of impact of childhood cancer were related to psychosocial outcomes, especially “Life Challenges” (HRQOL β = − .18, anxiety β = .36, depression β = .29) and “Body & Health” (HRQOL β = .27, anxiety β = − .25, depression β = − .26, fatigue β = − .47). Conclusion YACCS are vulnerable to psychosocial difficulties, but they also experience positive long-term impacts of childhood cancer. Positive and negative impacts of childhood cancer were associated with psychosocial outcomes in YACCS. Screening of psychosocial outcomes and offering targeted interventions are necessary to optimize psychosocial long-term follow-up care for YACCS.


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