Intake of selective beta blockers (blood pressure meds) has no impact on survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

 Beta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications that reduce your blood pressure. Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. When you take beta blockers, your heart beats more slowly and with less force, thereby reducing blood pressure.
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abstract
 

Highlights

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Patients with selective beta blocker intake have other comorbidities more frequently.

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Patients with selective beta blocker intake experience less often complete resection.

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Beta blocker treatment did not alter survival after controlling for risk factors.

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Background and objective

Some authors have claimed a significant impact of β-blocking agents on outcome in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This study investigated the impact of concurrent medication with selective beta blockers (SBB) in patients undergoing primary treatment for EOC.

Methods

The study included all consecutive patients with primary EOC treated in two tertiary gynecological-oncologic units between 1999 and 2014. Medication was retrospectively analyzed by chart review.

Results

The study cohort comprised 801 patients, of whom 141 (17.6%) had received SBB. Median age of patients without SBB medication was 56 years (range: 19–90 years) and 64 years (range: 41–84 years) in patients taking SBB (p < 0.001). The main prognostic factor FIGO stage did not differ between both cohorts. 63.8% of patients taking SBB underwent complete tumor resection compared to 74.2% of patients without SBB (p = 0.012). Patients without SBB experienced less severe post-operative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification (18.8% vs 29.0%; p = 0.003). Between the both groups without and with SBB intake, PFS and OS did not differ significantly (PFS: 27 months and 24 months, p = 0.40; OS: 56 months and 44, p = 0.15). Multivariate analyses did not yield any association between SBB intake and prognosis but confirmed well-known prognostic factors.

Conclusions

Intake of selective β-blockers did not influence the prognosis of patients with EOC.