Hormonal contraception utilized by thousands and thousands of ladies worldwide has been linked to an elevated threat of creating a uncommon sort of mind tumour.
Extended use of sure medicine containing the hormone progestogen can enhance the chance of meningioma – a tumour which is generally non-cancerous – by as much as five-fold, a research discovered.
Nevertheless, specialists are warning ladies to not cease utilizing their contraception with out consulting their physician.
Of the progestogens included within the research, the one one used within the UK linked to a better tumour threat was medroxyprogesterone acetate, a contraceptive injection out there beneath the model identify Depo-Provera.
NHS knowledge suggests there are round 10,000 prescriptions for the treatment each month in England.
Extended use for greater than a yr was related to a 5.6-fold elevated threat of creating meningioma, in keeping with the analysis.
“Whereas this feels like a really giant threat you will need to realise that meningioma is uncommon and a five-fold enhance in a uncommon illness remains to be a uncommon illness,” stated Paul Pharoah, professor of most cancers epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Middle, who was not a part of the research.
Of 10,000 ladies who’re aged 30 now, about 40 can count on to be identified with a meningioma earlier than they flip 80, he stated.
That determine will increase to 200 for ladies who’ve used the medroxyprogesterone acetate injection, in keeping with the research’s findings.
“This small enhance in threat must be thought-about in relation to the advantages of utilizing an injectable type of contraception,” Prof Pharoah stated.
Progestogens are just like the pure hormone progesterone. They’re broadly used to deal with gynaecological situations reminiscent of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, in addition to in menopausal hormone remedy and contraceptives.
The brand new research, revealed within the journal The BMJ, used knowledge from the French nationwide well being system for 18,061 ladies who underwent meningioma surgical procedure between 2009 and 2018.
Every case was matched to 5 ladies with out meningioma – a complete of 90,305 – by yr of beginning and space of residence.
The researchers discovered that extended use of three progestogens was related to a higher threat of meningioma: medrogestone (a 4.1-fold enhance), promegestone (a 2.7-fold enhance) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (a 5.6-fold enhance).
Different progestogens had been examined by the researchers, from France’s Nationwide Company for Medicines and Well being Merchandise Security, however had been discovered to not enhance the chance.
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Because it was an observational research, researchers had been unable to ascertain whether or not the hormone therapies had been the reason for the tumours.
Nevertheless, the scientists famous that, with 74 million customers of the injection worldwide, “the variety of attributable meningiomas could also be doubtlessly excessive” in international locations the place the type of contraception is commonly used.
Additional research utilizing different knowledge sources are urgently wanted to raised perceive the dangers, the researchers added.
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A meningioma is normally benign however may cause severe issues in some sufferers attributable to its location in and across the mind and spinal wire.
Signs embrace a change in imaginative and prescient, listening to loss or ringing within the ears, lack of odor, complications, reminiscence loss, seizures and weak point in arms or legs.
Pfizer manufactures two medroxyprogesterone acetate injections used within the UK – Depo-Provera and Sayana Press.
The corporate stated in a press release: “We’re conscious of this potential threat related to long-term use of progestogens and, in collaboration with regulatory companies, are within the means of updating product labels and affected person info leaflets with applicable wording.”
Dr Karen Noble, from the charity Mind Tumour Analysis, stated: “Though this research has linked sure progestogen therapies to an elevated threat of meningioma, it has additionally demonstrated the security of different progestogen therapies which had been proven to not enhance threat.
“In case you are involved, it’s endorsed that you simply converse to your GP earlier than stopping any prescribed therapy.”
