Blood Pressure Meds May Improve Survival In Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Patients suffering from pancreatic cancer may find some hope in the form of commonly used blood pressure medications. It is very difficult to treat this type of cancer, and the outcome is not encouraging in most cases. However, a new study has shown that using commonly used blood pressure medication can improve the survival rate in pancreatic cancer patients. The medication usually contains ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin receptor blockers known as ARB.

Blood Pressure Meds May Improve Survival In Pancreatic Cancer Patients

The study done on cancer patients showed that using ARB medication reduced the risk of death due to pancreatic cancer by nearly 20%. This is an encouraging method to treat pancreatic cancer, and patients can see some of them in the form of blood pressure medication. Similarly, those patients who took ACE inhibitors showed a reduction of nearly 13% in the risk of death due to pancreatic cancer.

Interestingly, not every cancer patient takes these medications as they are usually used only to treat blood pressure problems. However, using them has many benefits in improving the survival rate among cancer patients, according to experts.

This does not interrupt the regular chemotherapy sessions in any manner, and it can be taken safely along with other cancer medicines. In this way, this medication supplements the other treatments given for pancreatic cancer patients.

Experts are happy with the development as they can now use this medication that is widely available to treat cancer patients. Apart from that, there are no major side effects of this medication, and it can be safely used for cancer patients. The biggest advantage comes with the fact that this medication is inexpensive and it is available across the world without any issues.

However, experts also caution that the study is still in the early stages, and pancreatic cancer patients should not take this medication on their own to improve the survival rate. As of now, there is no clear evidence about the effectiveness of this medication on cancer.

Experts, however, believe that this medication may improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, and this is the reason it helps in reducing the risk of death in cancer patients. In the same manner, the medication also slows the growth of tumors in such patients, and this helps to control cancer to some extent.

The study focused on the overall health condition of pancreatic cancer patients who were also taking blood pressure medication. It was observed that such patients survived for a longer duration than those who were not taking blood pressure medication. ARB medication fared better than ACE inhibitors in the long run as the effects of ARBs were visible even after three years.

It is important to note at this stage that most pancreatic cancer patients die within a year after diagnosis of cancer. It is very difficult to treat and cure this illness. Only about 10% of pancreatic cancer patients survive for more than 5 years after the diagnosis.

The biggest reason for this high death rate is the fact that it is difficult to understand the symptoms in the early stages. Surgery is also avoided in the final stages as it does not help treat cancer in later stages.

Experts feel that this study offers some hope for pancreatic cancer patients, and a large-scale study can give better insights into the effectiveness of blood pressure medication. As of now, patients should avoid using such medication as it may cause undesired effects in some cases. Always consult your doctor about these options and choose the best treatment option. In this way, complications can be avoided in the final stages.