Detection and Treatment of Endocrine Abnormalities in Childhood Cancer Survivors and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients

Overview

This study will determine the prevalence of endocrine-related side effects in children who have been treated for cancer and establish a database and registry organized according to cancer diagnosis, treatments and endocrine side effects. In children, the endocrine system, which includes glands and hormones that help to control metabolism, growth, development and reproduction, is particularly vulnerable to long-term side effects associated with cancer and its treatments. The study will also serve to help train medical fellows, residents and students in identifying and managing endocrine abnormalities in children who have been diagnosed with and treated for cancer. Children between 2 and 24 years of age who have been treated for a childhood cancer and have been disease-free for at least 1 year may be eligible for this study. All participants undergo the following procedures: * Review of cancer treatment record * Review of medical and family history * Blood draw for DNA studies * Physical examination and body measurements (height, weight, waist, body proportions) * Completion of child health questionnaires * Individualized screening and counseling program * Review of the following endocrine systems: growth, pituitary and hypothalamic function, thyroid function, ovary and testicular function, bone health, risk of obesity and diabetes The following additional studies may be done, as clinically indicated: * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain * Thyroid, testicular or ovarian ultrasound * DEXA scan to measure bone density * Wrist x-ray to measure bone age * Blood tests * Urine pregnancy test for girls who are old enough to have menstrual periods * Stimulation testing (tests that involve giving medicine by mouth or in the vein and then measuring blood levels of substances afterwards, such as oral glucose tolerance test, arginine-clonidine growth hormone stimulation test, ACTH stimulation test, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test) Children with endocrine abnormalities are offered standard treatments.

Endocrine dysfunction is increasingly recognized as one of the most important aspects of quality of life issues, physical and psychosocial development and overall prognosis in pediatric patients diagnosed with neoplasms as well as in patients s/p bone marrow transplant throughout their lifespan. In addition, several of the new, molecularly designed therapies for neoplasms may interact with endocrine signaling; these include receptors and/or their ligands for growth and/or proliferation factors, and disruptors of steroid hormone interactions. The present study serves as a natural history protocol. As a natural history, this protocol allows our Institute to care for pediatric and adult patients with endocrine related complications associated with prior cancer therapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for the purposes of: Training our fellows, residents and students in the identification and management of endocrine abnormalities developing in patients who have been diagnosed with and treated for neoplasms and/or who have received HSCT at the NIH-Clinical center. Developing new clinical studies for the recognition and therapy of endocrine side effects related to cancer therapy and/or HSCT: this protocol will eventually lead to new, separate protocols that will address specific aspects of endocrinopathies in childhood cancer survivors and HSCT survivors. The protocol will serve as the basis for outpatient clinics that will function within the context of the pediatric and adult endocrine outpatient clinics: every eligible patient referred to the endocrine service from the NCI, NHLBI, and other NIH institutions and centers will be enrolled in this study, which for the first time will create an endocrine database for these patients. As stated in our aims above, it is our hope that the present investigation will serve as an incubator of further research-focused studies with the ultimate goal of improving the life of children and adults who have been cured of their underlying neoplasms as well as those individuals who are recipients of an HSCT.