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Beta blockers may lower the risk of breast cancer metastasis, death

Category: Breast

According to new research recently presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Barcelona, Spain, the blood pressure drugs known as beta blockers may reduce a breast cancer patient's risk of metastasis.

In the study, European researchers monitored 466 breast cancer sufferers, including 43 women who were taking beta blockers on a daily basis.

After a period of follow-up, the research team discovered that patients who were prescribed beta blockers had a 71 percent reduced risk of death during the study compared to those taking other blood pressure drugs or who were not on any medication.

Moreover, patients on beta blockers had a 57 percent lower risk of experiencing a cancer recurrence or metastasis.

Although the study was relatively small, lead author Des Powe, a research scientist at Queen's Medical Center at Nottingham University in England, and his colleagues are optimistic regarding the initial findings and plan to validate them in a larger group.

"We are very encouraged by these first results which have already shown that by using a well-established, safe, and cost-effective drug, we can take another step on the road to targeted therapy in breast cancer," said Powe.