OBJECTIVE: We assessed the gonadal function in boys with a newly diagnosed neoplastic disease prior to chemotherapy.
Eighty-four boys (48 prepubertal and 36 pubertal) were evaluated, including 50 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), 10 with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and 24 with solid tumors. The control group consisted of 24 healthy prepubertal and 24 pubertal boys. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), inhibin B, and testosterone were determined, and testicular volumes were measured.
RESULTS: Patients in prepuberty and early puberty (Tanner stages 1-3) diagnosed with ALL/NHL or solid tumor presented normal serum reproductive hormone levels, whereas in ALL/NHL patients in Tanner stages 4-5, the mean values of inhibin B were significantly lower (45.18 +/- 33.85 vs. 153.57 +/- 71.44 ng/L, p = 0.0027). In patients with HL in Tanner stages 4-5, a statistically significant lower mean inhibin B level (100.44 +/- 67.45 versus 153.57 +/-71.44 ng/L, p = 0.0027), higher mean FSH level (6.3 +/- 3.6 versus 4.6 +/- 2.2 mIU/mL, p = 0.05), and higher mean LH level (5.9 +/- 4.0 versus 3.6 +/- 1.8 mIU/mL, p = 0.05) were observed. No statistically significant differences were noted in assessed hormones in patients with solid tumors, independently of Tanner stage.
CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicates that adolescents with ALL/NHL and HL prior to treatment, exhibit reduced levels of inhibin B, which indirectly suggests the possibility of spermatogenesis dysfunction.
Written by:
Krawczuk-Rybak M, Płonowski M, Solarz E, Sega-Pondel D, Kazanowska B, Zelazowska-Rutkowska B, Wysocka J. Are you the author?
Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
Reference: J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25(5-6):453-8.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22876538
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