Beta Blockers to treat cancer
Can Beta Blockers extend survival?
This meta-analysis provides evidence that beta blocker use can be associated with the prolonged survival of cancer patients, especially patients with early-stage cancer treated primarily with surgery. See study.
Non-small-cell lung cancer
This study which retrospectively reviewed 722 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received definitive radiotherapy (RT) concluded:
…this analysis demonstrated that the incidental use of beta-blockers in this group of patients with NSCLC was associated with improved DMFS [distant metastasis-free survival ], DFS [disease-free survival], and OS [overall survival] – but not with LRPFS [locoregional progression-free survival ] – after definitive treatment that included RT. These findings are concordant with those of previous preclinical studies, suggesting that beta-blockers have specific effects on the metastatic cascade.
This meta-analysis of twelve studies involving 20,898 subjects provides evidence that beta blocker use can be associated with the prolonged survival of cancer patients, especially patients with early-stage cancer treated primarily with surgery.
Epithelial ovarian cancer
This multicenter review of 1425 women with epithelial ovarian cancer concluded:
Use of nonselective beta‐blockers in patients with EOC [ epithelial ovarian cancer ] was associated with longer OS [overall survival].
Article by The ASCO Post
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers demonstrated a benefit in overall survival among patients with epithelial ovarian cancer receiving generic beta-blocker heart medications. Survival was shown to be greatest among those prescribed first-generation nonselective beta-blockers.
The research team found for patients receiving any beta-blocker, the median overall survival was 47.8 months, vs 42 months for nonusers.
Median overall survival based on beta-blocker receptor selectivity was 94.9 months for those receiving nonselective beta-blockers, vs 38 months for those receiving selective beta-blockers.
Colorectal cancer
In this large population‐based study, we found no significant association between beta blocker use and overall, CRC‐specific, and recurrence‐free survival. However, stage‐specific analysis showed that beta blocker use was associated significantly with a better prognosis in patients with stage IV CRC. Median overall and CRC‐specific survival time of patients with stage IV CRC who used beta blockers was 17 and 18 months longer, respectively. Thus, our results indicate that beta blocker use may be associated with better prognosis in advanced CRC.
Breast cancer
Propranolol: This study says: Propranolol was also shown to have an effect on metastasis to the brain – the other major site of interest in breast cancer. Choy et al assessed retrospective data that showed that for stage II breast cancer patients beta-blocker usage was associated with a significantly reduced risk of post-operative recurrence or distant metastasis…The recent studies outlined in this paper add to the weight of evidence to support the use of propranolol as an anti-metastatic agent in breast cancer… There remains a clear potential for propranolol to be useful in a range of other cancers, including angiosarcoma, melanoma, and retinal haemangioblastomas in von Hippel-Lindau disease.
Retrospective studies have shown that beta-blocker usage is associated with improved recurrence free survival in women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and reduced risk of metastasis. In a trial of advanced HER2 negative breast cancer, beta-blockers were associated with improved progression free survival (PFS), particularly for the subgroup of TNBC patients. There is also some evidence to suggest that propranolol may revert resistance to trastuzumab in HER2 positive breast cancer.
Prostate cancer
Propranolol This study concluded…we observed reduced cancer-specific mortality among prostate cancer patients taking beta-blockers. However, we did not observe any effect of beta-blocker use on all-cause mortality in this meta-analysis. Taken together with studies in other cancer types and in preclinical models, our findings indicate a beneficial effect of beta-blockers on survival in patients with prostate cancer. Therefore, beta-blockers may be considered a promising therapeutic approach for adjuvant therapy in prostate cancer.
[Alternative: Ashwaganda]
Online sellers of Propranolol include brightside.com forhims.com sevencells.com
Page last updated January 2026