Progestogens and meningioma
Menée à partir de données françaises du Système National des Données de Santé (SNDS) portant sur 92 301 femmes (âge moyen : 59,7 ans), cette étude analyse l'association entre une utilisation de contraceptifs oraux contenant du désogestrel ou du lévonorgestrel et le risque de méningiome intracrânien (8 391 cas)
Meningiomas are common primary brain tumours.1 Although most of these tumours are non-cancerous, they can cause neurological symptoms and affect quality of life. Women are more predisposed to meningiomas, with a female to male ratio of 2-3.5:1.234
Current use of progestogens has been identified as an independent risk factor for meningioma. The largest epidemiological studies studying meningioma and progestogen treatments come from the French healthcare database SNDS (Système National des Données de Santé). In the linked case-control study (doi:10.1136/bmj-2024-083981), Roland and colleagues used this database to study the relation between risk of intracranial meningioma and two additional progestogens, desogestrel and levenorgestrel.5 An association was found with desogestrel, with low risk from short term use (odds ratio 1.02) and a slightly higher risk (odds ratio 1.70) from longer use (>5 years). No association was found between levonorgestrel and meningioma.
BMJ , éditorial en libre accès, 2025