A prostate cancer drug may be tied to faster meningioma growth
Original title: Meningioma enlargement associated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy: two cases and supporting in vitro evidence.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was seen in two patients and in a lab dish, not tested as a treatment.
The short version
Two men had a brain tumor grow faster soon after they started a common prostate cancer drug.
What was studied. Doctors report on two men who had a meningioma, a type of brain tumor. Both started leuprorelin acetate, a hormone drug used for prostate cancer. Doctors also put tumor tissue in a dish and added the drug.
What they found. One man's tumor grew slowly for 26 months, then sped up after the drug. The other man's tumor was stable for 6 years, then grew back fast. Both men needed surgery, and in the dish the drug kept tumor cells alive.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you have a meningioma, this is worth raising with your doctor. Tell your care team about the brain tumor before you start this kind of hormone drug. They may want to watch the tumor more closely if you do.
What it doesn't mean: This does not prove the drug makes meningiomas grow. It is a report on only two men, plus one lab test on tumor tissue. Two people cannot show cause and effect. It does not mean the drug is unsafe for most men who take it. It is not a new treatment, and it is not a promise of a cure. Do not stop or change any medicine on your own. Talk to your doctor first.
Source: PubMed, September 5, 2026 · Read the original
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