Abstract
The purpose of this review is to present the preclinical, epidemiological and clinical data relevant to the association between β-blockers and melanoma progression. Preclinical studies have shown that β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) signaling can inhibit multiple cellular processes involved in melanoma progression and metastasis. These observations have suggested the possibility that drugs originally intended for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the β-AR blockers, may provide new therapeutic opportunities for the control of tumor progression. A large number of observational studies demonstrated the protective effect of β-blockers in breast cancer but, more recently, similar findings were also reported in other cancers such as prostate cancer and melanoma. With regard to melanoma, two recently published studies demonstrated a great reduction in the risk of disease progression for each year of treatment with β-blockers. The results from these studies have suggested a potential role for targeting the β-AR pathway in melanoma patients. Questions regarding the type of β-blocker or tumor characteristics, appropriate treatment paradigms and, most importantly, efficacy must be answered in randomized clinical studies before β-blockers can be considered a therapeutic option for patients with melanoma.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1461-1467 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2012 |
Keywords
- β-blocker
- adrenergic system
- hypertension
- melanoma
- VEGF
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology (medical)
- Oncology