Chemotherapy has no significant effect on the growth and development of the child, but radiation therapy has the potential to affect their intelligence and future fertility.
One hospital in China has tested children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were able to survive long-term disease free after systematic regular chemotherapy, focusing on their intelligence level, physical development (height, body mass, serum insulin growth factor-1, bone age,) and reproductive function (estrogen, testosterone, and secondary sex characteristics development), and the test results showed no significant effect of conventional chemotherapy on intelligence, growth and development, and reproductive function.
However, tests found that radiotherapy (both systemic and local radiotherapy for testicular leukemia) may have an impact on the child’s mental development and later fertility.