The blood pressure medications can improve the survival chances of women with breast cancer
By Daily Mail Reporter
8:54
on 1 Created in June 2011
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Possible survival was defined as “very promising” described by scientists <
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In a study of women lived, beta-blockers more without seeing the cancer return or not the drugs. In the other, they were less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer or to die.
“We saw an association, it is now time to prove that they cause,” said Dr. Amal Melhem-Bertrandt, who worked on one of the two studies.
“It is promising, it is encouraging, but we still need to do the investigations.”
Beta-blockers inhibit the action of stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, and are used to treat high blood pressure.
cancer researchers with an interest began to be taken by animal studies showed stress responses are linked to tumor growth.
“There are a lot of literature suggesting chronic stress may affect recurrence of breast cancer,” said Dr. Melhem-Bertrandt.
“We wanted to see if blocking would help to reduce one of the arms of the stress response to breast cancer.” Es and colleagues examined medical records of 1,400 women for breast cancer with chemotherapy and surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston treated. About seven percent of women also happen to be using beta-blockers.
The doctors who examined the tumors after the women had surgery found no differences between those who were beta-blockers – mainly metoprolol and atenolol -. and those who do not
But the women on beta-blockers seem better after that sentence. In three years 87 percent of them were alive and free of cancer, compared with 77 percent of those not taking the medication.
The results were better dispensed with beta-blockers, even after the researchers for the differences in age, stage of cancer, diabetes and other factors that may influence the growth of tumors.And the results were breast cancer in women with a so-called triple-negative, do not respond to hormonal therapy, eye-catching.
Coloured MRI shows malignant tumor (yellow): blood pressure drugs can play ‘a role in inhibiting the growth of tumors
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Still, hidden factors may play a role, such as medication or lifestyle differences between women, warned Dr. Melhem-Bertrandt.
What was more, their study was not large enough to have a potential impact on overall survival.
In a recent British study, researchers found similar survival rates in breast cancer patients who take beta-blockers and other antihypertensive drugs.
“Larger studies are needed to clarify the effect of beta-blockers in breast cancer results, to investigate,” said Dr. Sunil Shah, of St. George’s University of London, UK on the study worked.
“But if these services are confirmed, these findings are potentially important for a subgroup of women with breast cancer, and beta blockers, a relatively safe and inexpensive therapy,” he added to.
The other new study, published jointly with Dr. Melhem-Bertrandt results in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, tapped into data from a cancer registry and a pharmacy database in Ireland.
women with breast cancer who were not diagnosed with a type of beta-blockers much less likely with advanced breast cancer than closely matched patients on medication, said Dr. Thomas propranolol were. Barron Trinity Centre for Health Sciences in Dublin, Ireland
Women taking propranolol also better after being diagnosed with the disease: After five years, an estimated nine percent have died from breast cancer, compared with 27 percent of women not to propranolol
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There was no difference for atenolol, a beta blocker, but. This contradicts Melhem-Bertrandt findings and suggests that not all beta-blockers work the same.
With this much uncertainty, Melhem-Bertrandt said, beta-blockers are not ready for prime time yet worldwide in cancer.
“You can drop your blood pressure, it can slow down your heartbeat. I would not recommend beta-blockers to women as a preventative measure.”
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