(Science Daily) — After reviewing outcomes of almost 14,000 patients with colorectal cancer, researchers determined that ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics were all associated with decreased mortality. They also found that patients who took their blood-pressure drugs consistently were less likely to die from their cancer.
The researchers emphasize that more research is needed to validate the connection between blood-pressure drugs and better outcomes. But they say they are hopeful that the drugs could offer a new, low-cost way to improve care for patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer.
“Cost-effective solutions to prolong cancer survivorship in older patients may lie in commonly used medications,” said researcher Rajesh Balkrishnan, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health Sciences. “However, we need further confirmation of these findings through clinical trials.” (…)