Can antihypertensive drugs also curb pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers.

Numerous preclinical data previously supported multiple effects of angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) on pancreatic cancer cell metabolism and cell cycle mechanisms, especially ARBs

A study published in the journal BMC Cancer assessed whether the use of ARBs or ACEIs was associated with patient survival after pancreatic cancer diagnosis

ARB can stabilize blood pressure for a long time, and also has the functions of reducing urinary protein, delaying kidney damage, and improving myocardial function.

There are many kinds of ARB drugs, often named after "sartan".

ACEI mainly exerts antihypertensive effect by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme, blocking the production of renin-angiotensin II, and inhibiting the degradation of kininase

For the study, the team included a database of 3.

The results showed a 20% lower risk of death in pancreatic cancer patients taking ARB and a 13% lower risk of death in pancreatic cancer patients taking ACEI compared with cancer patients not taking ACEI or ARB, based on a Cox model adjusted for potential confounders

Risk of death in pancreatic cancer patients taking ACEI and ARB drugs

Notably, the reduction in the risk of death associated with ACEIs was no longer evident after three-year survival, whereas the reduction in the risk of death associated with ARBs remained

"We did not see a favorable prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients after chemotherapy," the researchers said.

The researchers suggest that more effective treatments are urgently needed for pancreatic cancer patients

original provenance

Scott W.