Late effects after treatment of twenty children with soft tissue sarcomas of the head and neck. Experience at a single institution with a review of the literature

Journal Article · Thu May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0142(19860515)57:10<2070::AID-CNCR2820571032>3.0.CO;2-G· OSTI ID:5738532

Fromm, M; Littman, P; Raney, R B; Nelson, L; Handler, S; Diamond, G; Stanley, C

Twenty children with soft tissue sarcomas of the head and neck, treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from 1972 to 1981, were evaluated for the late deleterious effects of treatment. All patients received radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy with vincristine, dactinomycin, and cyclophosphamide; certain patients also received Adriamycin (doxorubicin). All had ophthalmologic, otologic, growth, and cosmetic evaluations; 15 also had dental and maxillofacial examinations. The median age at diagnosis was 6 years (range, 7 months-13 years). Median follow-up from time of diagnosis was 5.5 years with a minimum of 3 years in all but four patients. The major problems encountered were related to the eyes (xerophthalmia and cataracts), ears (hearing loss), teeth (maleruption and caries), glandular structures (xerostomia, hypopituitarism), and development (craniofacial deformity). It is concluded that children treated for soft tissue sarcomas of the head and neck with combined modality therapy, including radiation enhancers, may show a variety of late treatment-related adversities. These children require close multidisciplinary follow-up for detection of late effects in order that appropriate prophylactic or symptomatic treatment can be instituted to minimize their consequences.

• Research Organization: Hospital of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• OSTI ID: 5738532
• Journal Information: Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States), Vol. 10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AUDITORY ORGANS
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
EYES
PITUITARY GLAND
RADIOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
TEETH
CHEMOTHERAPY
CHILDREN
GROWTH
HEAD
NECK
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SARCOMAS
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AGE GROUPS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FACE
GLANDS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORAL CAVITY
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOLOGY
SENSE ORGANS
THERAPY
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