Why do some AN grow quickly over a short period of time, could stress or hormones play a part?

[Cwk123]

My tumour has doubled in size in 10 months and the consultant said that it was unusual. He mentioned pregnancy, and hormones. Im 48, not pregnant, but i am on the contaceptive injection called depo provera, but considering ive been taking this birth control for 10 years, the consultant didn't seem to concerned. I also mentioned stress and i was told that stress doesn't make a difference.

[Steve_04]

Hi, from my own research I understand this can happen if it is feeding of extra blood supply. Is it very vascular looking ?

[Alison_L]

Hi Cwk. I got a cyst on my AN and the whole thing grew from 1cm in March last year, to 1.7cm in December, but it was mostly the cyst that grew. I had had a thump to the head last spring, and I wondered if that might have caused the sudden growth. The docs were non-committal…

I do wish all the literature wouldn’t call our lodgers “slow-growing and benign “!

[Colejoe1 in reply to Alison_L]

I also had a bad head bump about 18 months before my diagnosis. Mine was large and they said they suspected it was cystic although after surgery no one mentioned if it was. I had also been on HRT for 2years, 3years prior to diagnosis The surgeon did tell me he thought he had killed it’s blood supply which gives me great peace of mind.

[Alison_L in reply to Colejoe1]

Oh, that does sound positive. Fingers crossed they’ve got it xx

[Sheryl5013]

I’m 55 and mine was discovered this May.I’ve only started to have symptoms really since Jan this year and was too wondering if hormones in menopause played a part in growth as had quite a bad transition from peri to menopause.

[Alison_L in reply to Sheryl5013]

I went deaf 3 years after I passed my menopause. (No HRT.) It would be interesting to know if any research has been done to see if there’s a possible connection.

[Sheryl5013 in reply to Alison_L]

It seems feasible that hormones fluctuating during peri/menopause could effect it as pregnancy seems too🤔

[flappers]

This is interesting as my previously stable in the first 6months of monitoring AN , also nearly doubled in size 12mm x 15mm to 22mmx25mm in the following year. I started taking HRT in that time. However, I did also read of others where that would not be a factor (men!!) who had larger AN's so kinda just felt it was bad luck and not connected! Mine wasn't at all cystic as far as I know, and I await to see if the three sessions of radio I had has been affective in stopping further growth.

[Sheryl5013 in reply to flappers]

I decided not to take Hrt and suffered with hot flushes etc…I suffered from breast cysts and endometriosis/ adeno so didn’t want to fuel those but do wonder if fluctuations in hormones caused growth as up till January never really had any symptoms.Good thing is now through that😂

[Cwk123]

Thank you for all your replies. I've said previously that I've just turned 48, so I'm possibly peri menopausal, But i have been on the contraceptive injection for 10 years, which i take every 3 months. Maybe it's just bad luck where mine has grown so quickly.