The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2015 , Vol 57 , Num 2
Evaluation of Late Effects of Postoperative Radiotherapy in Patients with Medulloblastoma
1Alanya State Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Antalya, and 2Department of Radiation Oncology and Divisions of 3Pediatric Endocrinology and 4Pediatric Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
E-mail: doccandan@yahoo.com
We aimed to evaluate long-term toxicity in children with medulloblastoma treated with postoperative radiotherapy (RT).

This study included 21 patients aged 4-16 who had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma. All of the patients in the study received postoperative craniospinal RT. Postoperative RT followed by chemotherapy was the treatment protocol. A total of 13 patients (62%) received chemotherapy concurrently with RT.

Overall survival was 50 months (range, 1-169 months) and disease-free survival was 39 months (range, 4-171 months). In the data analysis, the heights of 11 patients (91.6%) were found to be below 50% on the height curve, and 8 (66.6%) patients had weights below 50% on the weight curve. Mean sitting height was 72.58±6.33 cm, and this was statistically correlated with parameters such as LH level (p=0.037), testosterone level (p=0.020);, height (p=0.002), weight (p=0.033) and age at diagnosis (p=0.002).

Radiation therapy for medulloblastoma seems to have a late toxic effect on long-term survivors. With the improving survival rate of medulloblastoma patients, RT doses should be as low as possible without sacrificing efficacy. Keywords : pediatric medulloblastoma, radiotherapy, late effects.

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