Skip to main content
Log in

Hormonal therapy for fertility and huge meningioma: a purely random association?

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Acta Neurologica Belgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sexual hormones have been related to the growth of meningiomas, also due to the almost constant expression of hormonal receptors by tumoral cells. A case of a woman with previous history of multiple treatment for infertility, harboring a huge meningioma is here described. The tumor was surgically resected and the immunohistochemical examination revealed a high expression of progesterone receptors on tumoral cells surface. A putative role of past progesterone administration in the growth of meningioma has been hypothesized. Particular caution should be paid whenever adopting sexual hormonal therapy, especially for fertility. A radiological examination (ideally MRI) could be advised before starting therapy, in order to rule out any intracranial meningioma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cowppli-Bony A, Bouvier G, Rué M, Loiseau H, Vital A, Lebailly P et al (2011) Brain tumors and hormonal factors: review of the epidemiological literature. Cancer Causes Control 22:697–714

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Vadivelu S, Sharer L, Schulder M (2010) Regression of multiple intracranial meningiomas after cessation of long-term progesterone agonist therapy. J Neurosurg 112:920–924

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bickerstaff ER, Small JM, Guest IA (1958) The relapsing course of certain meningiomas in relation to pregnancy and menstruation. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 21:89–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chacko JG, Miller JL, Angtuaco EJ (2010) Spontaneous postpartum resolution of vision loss caused by a progesterone receptor-positive tuberculum sellae meningioma. J Neuroophthalmol 30:132–134

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Smith JS, Quiñones-Hinojosa A, Harmon-Smith M, Bollen AW, McDermott MW (2005) Sex steroid and growth factor profile of a meningioma associated with pregnancy. Can J Neurol Sci 32:122–127

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Jhawar BS, Fuchs CS, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ (2003) Sex steroid hormone exposures and risk for meningioma. J Neurosurg 99:848–853

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Schneider B, Pulhorn H, Rohrig B, Rainov NG (2005) Predisposing conditions and risk factors for development of symptomatic meningioma in adults. Cancer Detect Prev 29:440–447

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Speirs V, Boyle-Walsh E, Fraser WD (1997) Constitutive coexpression of estrogen and progesterone receptor mRNA in human meningiomas by RT-PCR and response of in vitro cell cultures to steroid hormones. Int J Cancer 72:714–719

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Custer BS, Longstreth WT Jr, Phillips LE, Koepsell TD, Van Belle G (2006) Hormonal exposures and the risk of intracranial meningioma in women: a population-based case-control study. BMC Cancer 6:152–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hatch EE, Linet MS, Zhang J, Fine HA, Shapiro WR, Selker RG et al (2005) Reproductive and hormonal factors and risk of brain tumors in adult females. Int J Cancer 114:797–805

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Michaud DS, Gallo V, Schlehofer B, Tjønneland A, Olsen A, Overvad K et al (2010) Reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use in relation to risk of glioma and meningioma in a large European cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 19:2562–2569

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Schlehofer B, Blettner M, Wahrendorf J (1992) Association between brain tumors and menopausal status. J Natl Cancer Inst 84:1346–1349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Piper JG, Follett KA, Fantin A (1994) Sphenoid wing meningioma progression after placement of a subcutaneous progesterone agonist contraceptive implant. Neurosurgery 34:723–725

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Oura S, Sakurai T, Yoshimura G, Tamaki T, Umemura T, Kokawa Y et al (2000) Regression of a presumed meningioma with the antiestrogen agent mepitiostane. Case report. J Neurosurg 93:132–135

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Murata Y, Takeuchi S, Yoshida S, Miyoshi I (2003) Meningioma in a woman receiving hormone therapy. Intern Med 42:1267

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pier Paolo Mattogno.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frassanito, P., De Bonis, P., Mattogno, P.P. et al. Hormonal therapy for fertility and huge meningioma: a purely random association?. Acta Neurol Belg 112, 299–301 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-012-0046-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-012-0046-9

Keywords

Navigation