J Natl Cancer Inst
Beta blockers linked to improved survival across several solid tumors
Clinical takeaway: While beta‑blockers should not yet be prescribed solely for anticancer benefit, continuing or initiating them for standard cardiovascular indications may offer an added survival advantage—particularly after diagnosis in GI, lung, or skin cancers—pending prospective trials.
In a systematic review and meta‑analysis of 84 studies including more than 603,000 patients with solid cancers, beta‑blocker use was associated with better survival outcomes compared with nonuse. Across tumor types, beta‑blocker exposure was associated with longer overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80–0.96) and progression‑free survival (PFS; HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69–0.97). Associations with OS were strongest in GI (HR, 0.84), lung (HR, 0.84), and skin cancers (HR, 0.81). Notably, post‑diagnosis beta‑blocker use showed an association with OS (HR, 0.79), whereas pre‑diagnostic exposure wasn’t clearly associated with benefit.
As the authors note, “beta‑blocker use was associated with improved OS and PFS in patients with solid cancer,” though substantial heterogeneity and predominantly observational data limit causal inference.
Source: Eraslan S, et al. (2026, March 21). J Natl Cancer Inst. Impact of beta-blockers on prognostic outcomes in solid cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis