Decreasing Post-Surgical Metastases with Propranolol

Most patients are not told that biopsy or surgical manipulation of a malignant tumor may promote its spread or metastasis. Most cancer deaths ultimately result from metastatic spread, and sometimes this spread can be initiated by the cancer biopsy or surgery.

Therefore, it is crucial to minimize these effects if possible. Dr. Paul Marik inspired this Substack article, as he first told me about the potential beneficial use of propranolol just before, during, or after cancer surgery. This information is also contained in his upcoming book 2nd Edition of Cancer Care, and I encourage all readers to obtain a copy as soon as it becomes available.

Propranolol, a beta blocker, is typically prescribed to treat hypertension or cardiac arrhythmia. This FDA-approved drug can be repurposed to reduce post-surgical cancer spread, especially when used in combination with certain NSAIDs or cimetidine.

Dr. Pan Panziarka studied propranolol as part of his ReDO Project and notes that both human and animal studies reflect that “surgical intervention may be associated with distant metastases.” He writes that the surgery triggers the inflammatory cascade resulting in wound healing and a suppression of cell-mediated immunity. There is also an increase in “pro-angiogenic signaling” which means blood vessel regrowth is promoted. This vessel growth can be accelerated not only in healing tissues but in metastatic growths.

Therefore, NSAIDs can help reduce the inflammatory cascade - the COX2/PGE2 pathway - and potentially reduce the risk for spread. Intraoperative use of ketorolac or diclofenac is associated with improved disease-free survival and overall survival in conservative breast cancer surgery.

In addition, cimetidine can improve cancer outcomes by antagonizing histamine receptors, thereby improving cell-mediated immune function.

Panziarka’s research shows that catecholamines - epinephrine and norepinephrine - are strongly associated with metastases. Catecholamines are hormones produced by stress, as in the fight or flight response. Therefore, it is not surprising that propranolol, which blocks the catecholamine receptors, is strongly associated with suppression of related cancer spread and growth.

While catecholamines increase tumor invasion, migration, angiogenesis, and EMT the metastatic spread of cancer, propranolol helps block these. In particular, propranolol helped lower TGF-beta which in turn reduced EMT. It enhances apoptosis of cancer cells, and it also helps reverse resistance to chemotherapy.

What may be the most intriguing aspect of propranolol’s anti-tumor activity may relate to its blockade of some of the effects of stress on the body. Prolonged stress can exert many harmful effects on health, particularly through stress hormones which over time can contribute to heart disease, cancer, and premature death. Propranolol can shield some of these consequences by blocking beta-adrenergic receptors.

Propranolol has been used off-label for PTSD, stage fright, tremors, etc. Because it blocks the effect of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine, it is often used during performances by accomplished musicians, surgeons, and public speakers. Propranolol, while not blocking the feelings of anxiety, can reduce the physical effects by reducing sweating, heart rate, and tremor.

A 1998 study followed a group of ophthalmology resident physicians who used propranolol 40 mg before performing surgery. In the test group, 40 surgeries were preceded with the dose of propranolol; in the control group, 33 were preceded by placebo. There were substantial reductions in performance anxiety and tremors in the propranolol group. There were no differences in the quality of the surgery or complications.

As noted in the recent Substack by A Midwestern Doctor and Dr. Pierre Kory, physical stress that results from disturbed sleep can substantially increase the risk of cancer and double the rate of tumor growth.

Many anecdotal reports correlate the onset of cancer with periods of great emotional stress which are associated with increased stress hormone secretion. During times of such psychological stress, the potential of propranolol to reduce the risk of developing cancer may be considered.

In personal communication with Dr. Paul Marik who recently wrote about propranolol’s antimetastatic effect in the soon-to-be-published 2nd Edition of his book, Cancer Care, the combination of three drugs, celecoxib, propranolol, and cimetidine may be synergistic in suppressing biopsy or surgery-related cancers and could be used the week before pre-operatively and the week after post-operatively for some metastases prevention.

Marik writes about propranolol, metastases, and specific cancers in his soon-to-be-released 2nd Edition of Cancer Care:

“Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which secretes catecholamines which feed cancer growth.(562, 563) Accumulating data indicate that the psychological stress caused by chronic stressors is a major risk factor for cancer occurrence, growth and metastasis.(562, 563) Experimental analyses with in vivo animal models have now shown that behavioral stress can accelerate the progression of breast, prostate, and ovarian carcinomas, neuroblastomas, malignant melanomas, pancreatic carcinoma and some hemopoietic cancers such as leukemia. In many of these experimental models, the biological effects of stress could be efficiently blocked by beta-adrenergic antagonists and mimicked by pharmacologic beta agonists.”

Three repurposed drugs can offer preventative effects against metastatic spread in those undergoing cancer surgery.

“Most patients are not told that biopsy or surgical manipulation of a malignant tumor may promote its spread or metastasis. Most cancer deaths ultimately result from metastatic spread, and sometimes this spread can be initiated by the cancer biopsy or surgery.”

No they don’t, because they want it to spread and require all the extensive expensive treatments that are torture in themselves as soon as possible.

Dr. Paul Marik is a medical genius and a warrior. He developed a simple treatment for sepsis, which is now the definitive treatment. He has written a popular textbook on critical care and contributed chapters to many medical textbooks. He has written over 450 peer-reviewed journal articles. He and Dr. Pierre Kory and a few others developed the main Ivermectin protocol for Covid. His ivermectin research and advocacy cost him his jobs as chair of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, and as critical care doctor at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

In August 2024 (last month), the American Board of Internal Medicine revoked his certification for “spreading misinformation.”

His Covid research group has a webpage titled “THE ROLE OF REPURPOSED DRUGS AND METABOLIC INTERVENTIONS IN TREATING CANCER” here: https://covid19criticalcare.com/reviews-and-monographs/cancer-care/

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.