title: Does β-adrenoceptor blocker therapy improve cancer survival? Findings from a population-based retrospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of β-adrenoceptor blocker treatment on cancer survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a UK primary care database, we compared patients with a new cancer diagnosis receiving β-adrenoceptor blockers regularly (n= 1406) with patients receiving other antihypertensive medication (n= 2056).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with cancer patients receiving other antihypertensive medication, patients receiving β-adrenoceptor blocker therapy experienced slightly poorer survival (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.04, 1.33 for all β-adrenoceptor blockers; HR = 1.21, 95% CI 0.94, 1.55 for non-selective β-adrenoceptor blockers). This poorer overall survival was explained by patients with pancreatic and prostate cancer with no evidence of an effect on survival for patients with lung, breast or colorectal cancer. Analysis in a cancer-free matched parallel cohort did not suggest selection bias masked a beneficial effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study does not support the hypothesis that β-adrenoceptor blockers improve survival for common cancers.
authors: Division of Population Health Sciences and Education, St George's University of London, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK.
authors: Sunil M
authors: SM
authors: Shah
authors: Iain M
authors: IM
authors: Carey
authors: Christopher G
authors: CG
authors: Owen
authors: Tess
authors: T
authors: Harris
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Dewilde
authors: Derek G
authors: DG
authors: Cook
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists