Antitumour Effects of β-Blockers: A Narrative Review of the Literature

Beta (β)-adrenergic receptors are Gs-protein-coupled receptors with many physiological actions but are also expressed in various types of cancers. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo research studies demonstrated that the antagonism of β-adrenergic receptor signalling by β-blockers inhibits multiple cellular processes involved in cancer progression, including tumour cell proliferation, extracellular matrix invasion, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation, expression of inflammatory or chemotactic cytokines, and angiogenesis, thus regulating the growth of tumours and reducing the development of metastasis in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, several experimental studies reported that in patients treated with the combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and β-blockers, the risk of cancer recurrence and metastasis development was reduced and associated with a decreased rate of mortality. This review aims to compile and critically evaluate preclinical and clinical research of the association between β-blocker administration and tumour growth across various tumour types.