Impact of blood pressure, cholesterol, and heartburn drugs on breast cancer survival
Recent research highlights how certain daily medications, including proton pump inhibitors and heart disease drugs, may influence breast cancer treatment outcomes and side effects, emphasizing the importance of regular medication reviews.
Recent findings from the University of South Australia and Flinders University discovered a connection between certain daily medications and poor breast cancer outcomes. Details about the study are summarized in a press release.
The researchers analyzed 19 major clinical trials, according to the University of South Australia. 23,000 participants were included. Medication types that were found to affect breast cancer treatment and survival include blood pressure, cholesterol, and heartburn.
Key findings:
Proton pump inhibitors lower breast cancer survival.
They also heighten a patient’s risk of poor side effects from treatment by 36%.
The scientists suspect that these medications “may interfere with the body’s immune responses or alter how cancer drugs are absorbed and metabolized,” but emphasize the need for additional studies.
These heart disease and hypertension medications were found to increase a breast cancer patient’s chances of experiencing poor side effects from treatment: beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and calcium-channel blockers.
They do not impact survival.
Statins and metformin were found to be safe for breast cancer patients.
The study’s lead author, Dr Natansh Modi, from UniSA and Flinders University emphasized in a press release, “Our results don’t suggest that people should stop taking their non-cancer medicines, but it underlines how important it is for doctors to regularly review patient medications because people are living longer and managing multiple health issues.”
