IADR Abstract Archives
Effects of Beta-Blockers on Survival in Head and Neck Cancer
Objectives: Beta-blockers, drugs commonly prescribed for the management of cardiac arrhythmias and hypertension, seem to have an anti-proliferation effect in tumors and to increase the overall survival of cancer patients. However, studies on head and neck cancer (H&NC) are lacking.
As the first study of its kind, we aim to estimate the extent to which beta-blocker intake is associated with an increase in overall survival among H&NC patients.
Methods: Subjects (n=303) were a sub-cohort of the HeNCe Life Study – Canada. All subjects resided within a 50km range of Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal, where they received treatments for H&NC confirmed by histology. A database was established using the HeNCe Life database combined with comprehensive data extracted from the hospital OACIS database, documenting disease details, diagnostic tests, comorbidities, family history of cancer, medications, treatments, and recovery information. Living statuses of patients were retrieved from the death registry of the Quebec Government. Patients who had been committed beta-blockers users before the date of diagnosis for cancer were considered as exposed subjects. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results: The majority of beta-blocker users used selective beta-blockers (97%). Overall, after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, human papillomavirus, education, other medication, comorbidity, cancer site, stage, and treatment, committed beta-blocker use was not associated with a significant increase in the overall survival of H&NC patients (HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.36-1.70).
Conclusions: Long-term beta-blocker intake is not significantly associated with an increase in survival for H&NC. Future studies are required to examine the impact of beta-blocker selectivity on H&NC survival.
As the first study of its kind, we aim to estimate the extent to which beta-blocker intake is associated with an increase in overall survival among H&NC patients.
Methods: Subjects (n=303) were a sub-cohort of the HeNCe Life Study – Canada. All subjects resided within a 50km range of Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal, where they received treatments for H&NC confirmed by histology. A database was established using the HeNCe Life database combined with comprehensive data extracted from the hospital OACIS database, documenting disease details, diagnostic tests, comorbidities, family history of cancer, medications, treatments, and recovery information. Living statuses of patients were retrieved from the death registry of the Quebec Government. Patients who had been committed beta-blockers users before the date of diagnosis for cancer were considered as exposed subjects. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results: The majority of beta-blocker users used selective beta-blockers (97%). Overall, after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, human papillomavirus, education, other medication, comorbidity, cancer site, stage, and treatment, committed beta-blocker use was not associated with a significant increase in the overall survival of H&NC patients (HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.36-1.70).
Conclusions: Long-term beta-blocker intake is not significantly associated with an increase in survival for H&NC. Future studies are required to examine the impact of beta-blocker selectivity on H&NC survival.