Affiliations: Department of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital and
Research Center Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA | Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism,
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, CA, USA | Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern
California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Clement C. Cheung, Center for
Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650
Sunset Boulevard, Mailstop #61, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. E-mail:
ccheung@chla.usc.edu
Abstract: Endocrinopathies are frequently linked to central nervous system
disease, both as early effects prior to the disease diagnosis and/or late
effects after the disease has been treated. In particular, tumors and
infiltrative diseases of the brain and pituitary, such as craniopharyngioma,
optic pathway and hypothalamic gliomas, intracranial germ cell tumor, and
Langerhans cell histiocytosis, can present with abnormal endocrine
manifestations that precede the development of neurological symptoms. Early
endocrine effects include diabetes insipidus, growth failure, obesity, and
precocious or delayed puberty. With improving prognosis and treatment of
childhood brain tumors, many survivors experience late endocrine effects
related to medical and surgical interventions. Chemotherapeutic agents and
radiation therapy can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary axes governing growth,
thyroid, gonadal, and adrenal function. In addition, obesity and metabolic
alterations are frequent late manifestations. Diagnosing and treating both
early and late endocrine manifestations can dramatically improve the growth,
well-being, and quality of life of patients with childhood central nervous
system diseases.
Keywords: Endocrinopathies, early effects, late effects, brain tumors, hypothalamus, pituitary
