Renin-angiotensin System and Cancer: A Review

Authors: Matthew J. Munro, Agadha C. Wickremesekera, Paul F. Davis, Reginald Marsh, Swee T. Tan and Tinte Itinteang

Integrative Cancer Science and Therapeutics. March 2017. Vol.4: doi:10.15761/ICST:1000231

http://oatext.com/Renin-angiotensin-system-and-cancer-A-review.php

There are numerous reports showing that cancer patients who are treated with medications that control the renin-angiotensin system, such as anti-hypertension drugs, have better survival from cancer and a lower risk of developing cancer.

The team at the GMRI has demonstrated the presence of cancer stem cells, the proposed origin of cancer, in 14 types of cancer. They have also shown that these cancer stem cells possess the renin-angiotensin system. These findings would explain the observation that patients who are on medications that modulate the renin-angiotensin system, such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, have better cancer survival and a lower risk of developing cancer.

In this review paper the GMRI team presents the published state of knowledge on the role of the constituents of the renin-angiotensin system and related biochemical pathways in various facets of cancer. These findings allow the design of a novel approach to the treatment of cancer.