Centchroman: Is unsupervised long-term use warranted? Case report

ABSTRACT

Objectives Centchroman (Ormeloxifene) is a synthetic non-steroidal compound used as an oral and a post-coital contraceptive. It is currently under trial for treatment of breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis. Centchroman has been reported to induce only minimal side effects and no hormonal imbalance.

Case A young woman who used centchroman for a long time in an unsupervised fashion presented with menorrhagia, which was controlled with norethisterone. Her massively enlarged uterus showed extensive decidual changes in a hyperplastic endometrium, and diffuse microglandular cervical hyperplasia.

Conclusions The case suggests a prominent oestrogenic effect of centchroman on the uterus. This could be a significant adverse effect related to prolonged therapy. Lengthy intake of centchroman requires medical surveillance and long-term studies are needed.

KEYWORDS::

• Centchroman
• Selective oestrogen receptor modulator
• Adverse effect
• Oestrogenic effect
• Long-term use
• Uterus
• Pathology

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and the writing of the paper.