Β-adrenergic-blocking drugs and melanoma: current state of the art. Issue 11 (November 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Grazzini, Marta; Gandini, Sara; Benemei, Silvia; Asbury, Curtis D; Marchionni, Niccolò; Geppetti, Pierangelo
• Is Part Of: Expert review of anticancer therapy. Volume 12:Issue 11(2012)
• Page Start: 1461
• Page End: 1467
• Publication Date: 2012-11
• Subjects: β-blocker -- adrenergic system -- hypertension -- melanoma -- VEGF; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.99406
• DOI: 10.1586/era.12.118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-7140

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.