title: β-Blocker Use and Risk of Recurrence in Patients with Early Breast Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether the concurrent β-blocker use in early breast cancer patients influenced the outcome in terms of preventing tumor recurrence after adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 610 patients with breast cancer. Thereafter, we compared overall disease-free survival (DFS) between β-blocker users and nonusers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those not receiving β-blockers had a relatively longer mean DFS (10.8 vs. 9.7 years), although the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.651). When the survival analysis was adjusted for age, tumor stage, hormone receptor status and HER2 status, the results remained unaltered, suggesting that β-blocker use did not significantly improve overall DFS (HR, 0.849; 95% CI, 0.537-1.343; p = 0.485).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings failed to confirm previous results indicating a potential antitumor effect of β-blockers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Patras Medical School, Rion, Greece.
authors.forename: Minas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakellakis
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kostaki
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Starakis
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutras
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents