Propranolol for the treatment of vascular sarcomas

Abstract

Michael J Wagner,1,2 Lee D Cranmer,1,2 Elizabeth T Loggers,1,2 Seth M Pollack1,2 1Division of Medical Oncology, 2Clinical Research Division University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA Abstract: Vascular sarcomas are abnormal proliferations of endothelial cells. They range from benign hemangioma to aggressive angiosarcoma, and are characterized by dysregulated angiogenic signaling. Propranolol is a β-adrenergic receptor inhibitor that has demonstrated clinical efficacy in benign infantile hemangioma, and is now being used experimentally for more aggressive vascular sarcomas and other cancers. In this review, we discuss the use of propranolol in targeting these receptors in vascular tumors and other cancers. Keywords: propranolol, vascular sarcoma, angiosarcoma, β-blocker, cancer

Keywords

• propranolol
• angiosarcoma
• vascular sarcoma
• cancer