Dynamics of changes in endocrine status in adolescents with lymphoma

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the study was to analyze the endocrine status of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) before treatment and the effect of chemotherapy on sex, pituitary and glucocorticoid hormones. Methods: Gonadal function, its regulation by tropic pituitary hormones and levels of prolactin and cortisol were studied by radioimmunoassay in 32 HL patients aged 12-21 years receiving chemotherapy. Results: Before therapy females showed estradiol decreased by 10 times compared with the norm in follicular and luteal phases of the cycle, with testosterone increase by 3.7 times in phase I and by 10 times in phase II of the cycle. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was 10 times lower than the norm. Luteinizing hormone in the luteal phase was similar to the norm in all disease stages, and in the follicular phase it was decreased by 15 times in patients with stage III-IV disease, compared with the norm. Male patients, especially those with stage III-IV disease, showed low testosterone levels in the blood before treatment. Significant overproduction of estradiol was observed, especially in stages III-IV. FSH levels in stage III-IV patients were 11 times lower than the norm; cortisol content did not change in stages I-II, and in stages III-IV it was 2.5 times higher than the norm. Prolactin and progesterone levels were similar to the norm. Conclusions: HL development in adolescents is accompanied by significant changes in levels of sex and pituitary hormones and cortisol depending on the disease stage. Chemotherapy provides high antitumor effect and normalizes the levels of circulating hormones that have changed before the treatment.