Millions at risk as common contraceptive ‘increases chance of deadly brain tumours’
TAKING certain contraceptives and HRT medications could increase your risk of brain tumours, a study suggests.
Women who were on some progestogen drugs had higher chances of developing potentially deadly intracranial meningiomas, French researchers found.
Those on medroxyprogesterone acetate injections, a contraceptive taken by 74million women worldwide, were at five times the risk
Dr Noémie Roland, of the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety, said: “Prolonged use was found to increase the risk of intracranial meningioma.”
“The increased risk associated with medroxyprogesterone acetate, a widely used contraceptive, and the safety of levonorgestrel intrauterine systems are important new findings.”
Meningiomas are tumours that grow from the tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord.
While they are normally non-cancerous, they can grow for a long time without causing symptoms and become so large they lead to serious disability or even death.
Previous research has shown the tumours are more common in women, and are linked to three known progestogens — nomegestrol, chlormadinone, and cyproterone acetate.
Progestogens are similar to the natural hormone progesterone, and are used as contraceptives and for treating menopause and some gynaecological conditions.
The latest study, published in the BMJ, looked at how taking eight other types impacted the risk of developing tumours.
Researchers looked at data from more than 108,000 women, 18,061 of whom had surgery for intracranial meningioma surgery from 2009 to 2018.
They found levonorgestrel intrauterine systems — a contraceptive also known as the hormonal coil — did not increase the risk of the tumours.
But women on medrogestone, which can be prescribed for the menopause, were at more than four times the risk.
And the menopausal hormonal therapy promegestone increased the chances by 2.7 times.
Dr Susan Evans, of the University of Adelaide, who was not involved in the study, said: “Progestogen medications are medications that mimic progesterone in the body.
“Each progestogen has its own characteristics. This is important information to guide health practitioners when prescribing hormonal therapies.
“This study should be a prompt for research considering different progestogens and their interaction with a full range of hormonal and endocrine receptors.”
What are the symptoms of mengiomas?
Meningiomas can start anywhere in the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of meningioma depend on where the tumour is in the brain. Some meningiomas do not cause any symptoms. They might be picked up when you have a brain scan for something else.
If you have symptoms these might include:
- fits (seizures)
- weakness in your arms or legs
- loss of eyesight
- hearing loss
Source: Cancer Research UK