Preliminary results from a phase II trial of conformal radiation therapy and evaluation of radiation-related CNS effects for pediatric patients with localized ependymoma.

Purpose: We conducted a phase II trial of conformal radiation therapy (CRT) for localized childhood ependymoma to determine whether the irradiated volume could be reduced to decrease CNS-related side effects without diminishing the rate of disease control.

Patients And Methods: Between July 1997 and January 2003, 88 pediatric patients (median age, 2.85 +/- 4.

Preirradiation endocrinopathies in pediatric brain tumor patients determined by dynamic tests of endocrine function.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate pediatric patients with localized primary brain tumors for evidence of endocrinopathy before radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: Seventy-five pediatric patients were evaluated with the arginine tolerance test and L-dopa test for growth hormone secretory capacity and activity; thyroid-stimulating hormone surge and thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test for the hypothalamic-thyroid axis; the 1-microg adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and metyrapone test for ACTH reserve; and, depending on age, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test to determine gonadotropin response. The study included 38 male and 37 female patients, age 1-21 years with ependymoma (n = 35), World Health Organization (WHO) Grade I-II astrocytoma (n = 18), WHO Grade III-IV astrocytoma (n = 10), craniopharyngioma (n = 7), optic pathway tumor (n = 4), and germinoma (n = 1).