A study of nearly 55,000 children finds that growth hormone therapy is generally very safe, but orthopedic problems can occur, and survivors of childhood cancer are at an increased risk of a new neoplasm. Do current treatment strategies for some targeted patient groups need reevaluation?
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Bell, J. et al. Long-term safety of recombinant human growth hormone in children. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 95, 167–177 (2010).
[No authors listed] Leukaemia in patients treated with growth hormone. Lancet 1, 1159–1160 (1988).
Nishi, Y. et al. Recent status in the occurrence of leukemia in growth hormone-treated patients in Japan. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 84, 1961–1965 (1999).
Cohen, P., Clemmons, D. R. & Rosenfeld, R. G. Does the GH-IGF axis play a role in cancer pathogenesis? Growth Horm. IGF Res. 10, 297–305 (2000).
Rowlands, M. A. et al. Circulating insulin-like growth factor peptides and prostate cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int. J. Cancer 124, 2416–2429 (2009).
Hankinson, S. E. et al. Circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I and risk of breast cancer. Lancet 351, 1393–1396 (1998).
Ergun-Longmire, B. et al. Growth hormone treatment and risk of second neoplasms in the childhood cancer survivor. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 3494–3498 (2006).
Growth Hormone Research Society. Consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone (GH) deficiency in childhood and adolescence: summary statement of the GH Research Society. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 85, 3990–3993 (2000).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The author declares associations with the following companies: Tercica (consultant), Pfizer (speakers bureau).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chernausek, S. How safe is growth hormone therapy for children?. Nat Rev Endocrinol 6, 251–253 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2010.43
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2010.43