Ovarian cancer, also known as the “silent killer” because it is often discovered at late stages, is the fifth most common cancer among women, and it is the deadliest of all gynecological cancers.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 21,750 women in the United States will receive a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 2020, and about 13,940 will die from the disease. The current standard treatment for ovarian cancer includes surgery and chemotherapy, often followed by maintenance therapy. However, a recent study has suggested that hypertension medication may play a beneficial role in ovarian cancer treatment.

The Study

The study in question was conducted by researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and published in the journal Cancer in October 2020.

The study analyzed data from over 1,000 ovarian cancer patients who had received treatment at the center between 2000 and 2015.

Of the patients analyzed, 28% had a history of hypertension and were taking antihypertensive medications at the time of their ovarian cancer diagnosis.

The researchers found that these patients had significantly better overall survival rates than the patients who did not have hypertension and were not taking antihypertensive medications.

The five-year overall survival rate for the hypertensive patients was 55%, compared to 45% for the non-hypertensive patients.

Hypertensive patients who were taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) had an even higher five-year overall survival rate of 76%, compared to 40% for non-hypertensive patients.

The Mechanism

So, why are hypertensive patients with ovarian cancer surviving longer? The exact mechanism is not yet clear, but the researchers suggest that it may be related to the role of ACE inhibitors and ARBs in modulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), a hormone system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. The RAAS has also been shown to play a role in cancer development and progression.

ACE inhibitors and ARBs work by blocking the RAAS, which leads to vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), reduced blood pressure, and decreased fluid retention.

They may also inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells by blocking the production of certain growth factors and promoting apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.

However, the researchers note that more studies are needed to confirm the role of hypertension medication in ovarian cancer treatment, and to identify the specific mechanisms involved.

Implications

The findings of this study have some important implications for ovarian cancer treatment. First, the presence of hypertension and the use of antihypertensive medications should be taken into account when designing ovarian cancer treatment plans.

Patients with a history of hypertension may benefit from continued use of their antihypertensive medications during ovarian cancer treatment, and those without hypertension may benefit from the use of hypertension medications.

Second, the study suggests that ACE inhibitors and ARBs may have a role in ovarian cancer treatment, either alone or in combination with other therapies.

This may provide a new avenue for the development of targeted therapies for ovarian cancer, which currently has limited treatment options.

Limitations

Like any study, this one has some limitations. One limitation is that it is a retrospective study, meaning that the researchers analyzed data from past patients rather than conducting a randomized controlled trial.

This makes it harder to establish a causal relationship between hypertension medication use and ovarian cancer survival, as there may be other factors at play that the researchers did not account for.

Another limitation is that the study did not differentiate between different stages or types of ovarian cancer, which can have different treatment outcomes.

More studies are needed to determine whether the beneficial effects of hypertension medication are specific to certain ovarian cancer subtypes or stages.

Conclusion

Overall, the study suggests that hypertension medication, particularly ACE inhibitors and ARBs, may improve survival rates for ovarian cancer patients. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the mechanism involved.

If confirmed, the role of hypertension medication in ovarian cancer treatment could provide a new avenue for targeted therapies and improve outcomes for this deadly disease.