Preventive Role and Survival Benefit of Beta Blockers in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation has been reported to positively influence the development and growth of many cancers in animal models. Studies have shown conflicting results regarding the benefit of beta-adrenergic receptor blockers in pancreatic cancer. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between beta-blocker usage and the prevention of pancreatic cancer and the prognosis after the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. We searched electronic databases of Medline, Embase, and Scopus from January 2000 to August 2025 to identify studies reporting the relationship between beta-blockers and the development of new pancreatic cancer or survival in diagnosed cases of pancreatic cancer. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were extracted for survival and pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. One case-control and 13 cohort studies were identified, of which four analyzed the association between beta-blocker use and the incidence of pancreatic cancer, while the other 10 analyzed survival outcomes with the use of beta-blockers in patients with diagnosed pancreatic cancer. The pooled data showed that beta-blockers were significantly associated with a reduced incidence of pancreatic cancer (aHR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61 - 0.97, 3 studies). Similarly, continued use of beta-blockers after the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was associated with improved survival (aHR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87 - 0.94, 4 studies). However, the use of beta-blockers prior to diagnosis of pancreatic cancer did not improve survival (aHR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.94 - 1.05, 5 studies). The results of the current meta-analysis revealed that beta-blockers have a preventive and protective role against pancreatic cancer. Further research is required to validate the findings of this meta-analysis.