Turner Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Turner Syndrome, including details on symptoms, causes, chromosomes, prognosis.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma after recombinant GH therapy for Turner syndrome.

Cabanas P, García-Caballero T, Barreiro J, Castro-Feijóo L, Gallego R, Arévalo T, Cañete R, Pombo M

Pediatric Endocrinology, Growth and Adolescence Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Clinical University Hospital, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Turner syndrome (TS) has been included for several years among the indications for GH treatment, generally with satisfactory outcomes. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of this treatment in non-GH deficient patients are not fully known. The incidence of thyroid carcinoma is rare in patients during childhood, it is unusual to find this neoplasia in children under sixteen years old. This article reports the cases of two Spanish patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma after GH treatment for TS. Recent studies have indicated a possible relationship between the GH-IGF axis and the pathogenesis of neoplasias, questioning the chance association of these two pathologies. In line with this, we detected GH receptor expression in the papillary carcinoma cells. Long-term prospective studies are required to clarify the possible effects of GH treatment on the risk of neoplasia.

Published 28 September 2005 in Eur J Endocrinol, 153(4): 499-502.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Turner Syndrome Research Today. All Rights Reserved.