Three tumors got smaller after women stopped a birth control shot
Original title: Meningioma regression following depot medroxyprogesterone acetate withdrawal: a case series.
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.
Doctors only looked back at three patients, so this was not a real test of a treatment.
The short version
In three women, tumors in the head got smaller after they stopped a long-acting birth control shot.
What was studied. Doctors looked back at three women who had meningiomas inside the head. All three stopped the birth control shot DMPA, and scans were used to track the tumors.
What they found. The women had used DMPA for about 14 to 27 years. After they stopped, the soft part of each tumor got smaller. But thickened bone did not shrink, and two women needed surgery because their vision was getting worse.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you have a meningioma, your doctor may want to know about any progestin birth control you use or used in the past. Stopping that shot may let the soft part of a tumor shrink. It may not be enough on its own, so surgery can still be needed.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a cure, and it is not proof. Doctors only looked back at three women after the fact. Smaller tumor tissue does not mean the pressure is gone. Thick bone can still press on nerves. Two of the three still needed surgery. Do not stop any medicine on your own. Talk with your own doctor first.
Source: PubMed, October 14, 2026 · Read the original
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