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Together is a new resource for anyone affected by pediatric cancer - patients and their parents, family members, and friends.
Learn MoreSome childhood cancer treatments may cause problems in the endocrine system.
It is helpful to understand how the endocrine system works to learn how treatment may affect its function.
The endocrine system is a network of glands.
The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, located in the brain, are sometimes called “master glands.” Some cancer treatments, particularly radiation to the brain, may damage these glands. That damage can cause several problems.
The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland control other glands such as the:
These glands make hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that carry information through the bloodstream to maintain body functions.
The endocrine system controls:
The endocrine system is a group of glands that controls many of the body’s functions such as growth, puberty, energy level, urine production, and stress response. The male and female endocrine systems contain different organs. Females have ovaries. Males have testes.
The endocrine system is a group of glands that controls many of the body’s functions such as growth, puberty, energy level, urine production, and stress response. The male and female endocrine systems contain different organs. Males have testes. Females have ovaries.
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Reviewed: November 2019