The impact of adrenergic signaling in skin cancer progression: possible repurposing of β-blockers for treatment of skin cancer

Studies suggest that psychosocial factors can impact cancer progression. Parallel work in the fields of psychoneuroimmunology and developmental neuroscience have led to the implication of catecholamine hormones (norepinephrine and epinephrine) and their receptors (the β-adrenergic receptors; β-ARs) in regulating cancer progression. In this review we discuss studies that describe the effects of psychological stress as mediated by factors including the catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine on various aspects of tumor progression including proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. We discuss the role of β-ARs in facilitating these effects and the potential use of β-blockers in adjuvant cancer therapy.