In a study published in the BMJ on March 27, 2024, researchers at the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety in France announced findings that indicate use of certain hormone drugs may be putting millions of women worldwide at a heightened “risk of rare, usually benign brain [tumors].”
The drugs in question are used for contraception and to manage the effects of endometriosis. According to the study, women who took certain progestogen medications for more than a year have a higher likelihood of getting meningioma, typically non-cancerous tumors that present in tissues near the brain. Despite these findings, those currently using the medications and those who have used them in the past are assured that the heightened risk is still “extremely small.”
Like natural hormone progesterone, progestogens are found in contraceptives and are used to manage endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as other gynecological conditions. They are also present in hormone replacement therapies administered to women experiencing menopause.
While it’s been established that a number of progestogens in high doses increases a user’s risk of meningioma, the study spotlit eight other forms of the hormone in common use.
Meningiomas tend to be non-cancerous and grow at a slow rate, but the growths often require surgical removal to relieve the pressure put on the brain. While the tumors themselves are not typically life-threatening, the surgery itself presents a risk of damage to the brain structures near the tumors.
Researchers were able to identify 18,601 women using data from the French national healthcare system. The women were of an average age of 58 and had undergone surgery to remove intracranial meningiomas during the 2009 to 2018 period. Using five healthy controls to compare with each case, the observational study found long-term (more than 12 months) use of three progestogens to be linked to a heightened risk of meningioma that requires surgical intervention.
In particular, the oral pills medrogestone and promegestone presented 4.1 and 2.7 times, respectively, the risk of meningioma. A contraceptive injection marketed as Depo-Provera, also known as Medroxyprogesterone acetate, was found to put users at 5.6 times the risk. Despite these findings, the observational study is unable to prove that using the hormones leads to tumors. Progesterone, dydrogesterone, and other hormonal intrauterine systems were not found to pose an excess risk.
Since the finding, Depo-Porvera manufacturer Pfizer has released a statement acknowledging awareness of “this potential risk associated with long-term use of progestogens.” The company also said it is working with regulatory agencies to “[update] product labels and patient information leaflets with appropriate wording.”
Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with meningioma that can be traced to a prolonged use of progestogen medications? Our team at Oliver Law Office is personally invested in helping you fight for the compensation necessary for the best possible outcome. We offer a range of knowledge and experience in mass tort litigation and are here to help you understand your rights and options. Call our office today at 614-220-9100 or reach out via this contact form.
