Is the treatment for childhood solid tumors associated with lower bone mass than that for leukemia and Hodgkin disease?
Patients treated for solid tumors have reduced bone mass. Low BMI and local irradiation seem to be the factors responsible for reduced BMD in children treated for ST. The use of steroids does not disturb bone mass accumulation in patients treated for childhood malignancies. However, a long-term effect of cancer treatment on osteoporosis risk remains to be determined.
The authors found a statistically significant decrease in implant rupture for Mentor posterior valve implants in the reconstructive cohort and no difference in the augmentation cohort. Thus, the authors conclude that at worst, the posterior valve is not more prone to rupture than the anterior valve model. Furthermore, the authors believe that the postoperative flexibility of the posterior valve implants makes them more useful clinically.