Cardiovascular disorders and cancer are the most common chronic diseases, frequently coexistent and interdependent. Based on their common etiology and molecular background, the hypothesis on the potential anti-cancer activity of cardiological drugs appeared, mainly in response to the necessity of increasing the efficacy of existing oncological treatment schemes. In fact, cancer is known to induce the profound malfunction of typical cardiovascular-regulating systems, including the renin-angiotensin system, sympathetic nervous system and coagulation cascade. Therefore, in this review we have analyzed the available preclinical and clinical data on the repurposing potential of the following classes of cardiology drugs: angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, statins and heparins. All of them have been shown to attenuate cancer development: the renin-angiotensin system inhibitors primarily by reducing inflammation, angiogenesis and immunosuppression, beta blockers by repressing migration and metastasis, heparins by decreasing metastasis and statins by influencing cell growth, apoptosis, migration and angiogenesis. We also have discussed the specific mechanisms of anticancer action for each group and then suggestions on their potential clinical use have been presented. Nonetheless, the establishment of strong indications for repurposing procedure, both individually and collectively, is unfeasible at the moment due to insufficient clinical data and therefore further investigations in this context are necessary and encouraged.
Keywords: Adjuvant treatment; Carcinogenesis; Cardiology; Chemoprevention; Drug repurposing; Oncology.
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