AN/Menginoma/Hemingioma and ESTROGEN

[JLR]

Hi All, Is there any reason to think that Estrogen i.e. Premarin has anything to do with the appearance/growth of the above mentioned.  I recently came across an article about estrogen and tumors. And the possibilty of estrogen and growth of tumors. I also searched our archives looking for current information. My AN was first diagnosed 11 years ago..I have been on Premarin for about 5 years.  Did the HRT increase the size of the AN? Just don't know.  Thanks for any thoughts on this issue, Joan

[Jim Scott]

JLR ~

If you do a Google search ('Estrogen Menginoma') you'll find clinical studies have found a link between estrogen and these types of tumors.  I cannot answer your question as to whether the use of Premarin contributed to the growth of your tumor and I doubt any doctor could.  It may be possible but not provable.

Jim

[JAndrews]

I had a meninigioma. I was told prior to surgery that it was most likely due to hormones--progesterone/estrogen. I was told to never take either one again. There is overwhelming evidence that menigiomas are hormone related

[LisaM]

I have pondered the estrogen involvement with my AN.  When I first starting reading about ANs I found it rather odd that so many women discovered large ANs during their 3rd trimester of pregnancy, an estrogen bonanza!  I discovered my AN this past April but have had symptoms for at least 4 years.  I have a 4 and half year old daughter whom I had at at age 45.  A time when my estrogen should have been declining it spiked up and I started having AN symptoms.  I asked a Dr. about the estrogen link and he said there is no conclusive evidence that estrogen plays a role in ANs.  Hormones seems to have something to do with ANs.  Maybe its a combination of estrogen, adrenaline and cortisol?  Stress hormones can cause all kinds of problems and I'm pretty sure the AN in my head feeds on stress hormones...

[JLR]

Thanks for all the amazing info! I was on Premarin ...no progesterone. Have been off for a couple weeks..talk about stress - but not planning on going back on these meds. It's all such a mystery including the effects of radiation from CK way down the line. (My last MRI showed a benign bone hemingioma and not a menginoma..I'm beginning to think its the interpertation of the radiologist reading the MRI at the time)

[LisaM]

After giving it a lot of thought I'm using a bio identical estrogen patch at the lowest dose and my quality of life is much improved (originally on higher dose but asked for lower dose because of AN).  Premarin has seemingly caused a lot of problems for women.  The new bio identical HRTs are supposed to be much safer.   

Acupuncture is supposed to be helpful with menopause symptoms too... this I have just discovered and hope to explore.

This is from another thread that may be of interest:

http://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=3791.msg979726835#msg979726835

I came to a dead end regarding the estrogen connection but still fully believe there may be some hormonal connection.  Kind of strange that after five years of suppressing my estrogen because of prior breast cancer, that once I stopped the Arimidex my schwannoma (like an AN) should show a very minor (1 mm) increase.  I Googled and researched and even wrote to a highly regarded neurosurgeon in Boston who is doing hormonal research on meningiomas (by the way, my husband has had three regrowths of a "benign" meningioma - two craniotomies and one CyberKnife treatment) - the doc said there has not been any correlation between schwannomas, AN's, and hormones - some evidence of hormones and meningiomas. 

I am at the 9-1/2 year point of W&W with my yearly MRI due in September.  I plan to reach the 10-year point in November and hope to beat Derek - I'm not sure if I'm ahead or behind him!!
Take care,
Sheryl

Hope this info helps.

Best,
Lisa M

[JLR]

Hi Lisa, Thanks so much. I do appreciate the info.  I will ask my physician about the bio-identical HRT.  Joan

[arkansasfarmgirl]

I am totally convinced that my pregnancies escalated the growth of my AN.  I had my first symptoms during my first pregnancy, then they didn't get any worse until the 2nd trimester of my 2nd pregnancy.  They became unbearable in the 2 weeks following birth, and I was finally diagnosed when my daughter was 6 weeks old.