Do Calcium Channel Blockers Increase the Risk of Cancer?

• Published in: American journal of hypertension Vol. 9; no. 7; pp. 695 - 699
• Main Authors: Pahor, Marco, Guralnik, Jack M, Salive, Marcel E, Corti, Maria-Chiara, Carbonin, Pierugo, Havlik, Richard J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.07.1996; Oxford University Press; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - adverse effects; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; angiotensin converting enzyme; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - adverse effects; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Antihypertensive Agents - adverse effects; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium channel blockers; Calcium Channel Blockers - adverse effects; Calcium Channel Blockers - therapeutic use; cancer; diltiazem; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Humans; hypertension; inhibitors; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Multivariate Analysis; neoplasms; Neoplasms - chemically induced; Neoplasms - epidemiology; nifedipine; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; verapamil; β-blockers; inhibitors; nifedipine; diltiazem; angiotensin converting enzyme; Calcium channel blockers; verapamil; apoptosis; β-blockers; cancer; neoplasms; hypertension; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Toxicity; Calcium antagonist; Risk factor; Exploration; Malignant tumor; Carcinogenesis; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1879-1905
• DOI: 10.1016/0895-7061(96)00186-0

Calcium channel blockers can block calcium signals that trigger cell differentiation and apoptosis, which are important mechanisms of cancer growth regulation. To ascertain whether calcium channel blocker use was associated with an increased risk of cancer, 750 hypertensive persons age ≥ 71 years, with no history of cancer at baseline, were followed from 1988 through 1992. The patients were using either β-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or calcium channel blockers (verapamil, nifedipine, and diltiazem; mainly of the short-acting variety). Compared to β-blockers (n = 424, 28 events), after adjusting for age, gender, race, smoking, body mass index, and number of hospital admissions not related with cancer, the relative risks of cancer (95% confidence interval) for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (n = 124, 6 events) and calcium channel blockers (n = 202, 27 events) were 0.73 (0.30 to 1.78) and 2.02 (1.16 to 3.54), respectively. These findings indicate that calcium channel blocker therapy might increase the risk of cancer. New data are needed in patients using modern calcium channel blocker agents with more gradual absorption. This report should encourage further study of cancer outcomes in elderly patients who are vulnerable to cancer and who are receiving calcium channel blockers. Am J Hypertens 1996;9:695–699