The effect of the number of fractions of cranial irradiation on growth in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Growth was documented over a period of 7 years in all long-term survivors treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with the DAL-70- (n = 15) and BFM-70-protocol (n = 27). Normal growth was documented in patients of the DAL-70-protocol during and after therapy. In contrast, in children treated with the BFM-70-protocol the mean height standard deviation score (SDS) decreased significantly from 1.21 SDS prior to therapy to 0.80 SDS at the end of therapy (p less than 0.001) and remained unchanged thereafter. Prophylactic cranial irradiation was given in total doses of 15 to 30 Gy. Ten children of the DAL-70- and 20 children of the BFM-70-protocol received 24 Gy of cranial irradiation. No significant change in height-SDS was observed in any patients of the DAL-70- and in 8 patients of the BFM-70- group, who received 24 Gy of cranial irradiation in 16-26 fractions. Adult height in 7 girls and 6 boys was normal and 3.15 cm and 5.06 cm above target height. In the remaining 12 patients of the BFM-70-protocol the total dose of 24 Gy of cranial irradiation was applied in 11-14 fractions. Their height-SDS had fallen significantly from 1.24 SDS before to 0.66 SDS (p less than 0.001) at the end of therapy. Adult height in 4 girls and 6 boys was also normal, but the height increase was comparatively smaller, -2.20 cm below target height in the girls and 1.91 cm above in the boys.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)