Precocious Puberty Secondary to Cranial Irradiation for Tumors Distant from the Hypothalamo-Pituitary Area

Abstract

This retrospective study is the first report of the occurrence of central precocious puberty in 6 children having received cranial irradiation. Pubertal development took place at a mean age of 7⁵/₁₂years (6¹⁰/₁₂^–7⁵/₁₂years in 5 girls and at 9 years in 1 boy). They had received 2,400–4,500 rad at a mean age of 5²/₁₂ years. In addition, 5 children had GH deficiency so that their growth spurt was blunted and 3 of them were left with an extremely short stature. This condition would require a therapeutic approach combining the use of an LHRH analogue and hGH therapy when necessary in order to protect from too rapidly progressing bone maturation.