Reina Haque, PhD, MPH, Senior Cancer Epidemiologist in the Kaiser Permanente Department of Research & Evaluation and Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) Professor of Health Systems Science, led a study that found that women with metastatic breast cancer who received polytherapy—treatment with multiple classes of blood pressure medications—for hypertension experienced significantly lower mortality compared with those on a single medication.
Nearly half of women in the study had hypertension at the time of their cancer diagnosis, with even higher rates among Black and Hispanic patients. Researchers sought to understand whether more effective management of this common comorbidity could meaningfully influence survival outcomes.
The study revealed that polytherapy was associated with a 38 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with monotherapy. Women who consistently took their prescribed blood pressure medications experienced even greater benefits, with a 58 percent reduction in mortality risk. Polytherapy also proved more effective in controlling blood pressure overall, with more than 75 percent of patients reaching a systolic blood pressure below 140 mmHg during follow up.
“These patients face an overwhelming burden of chronic conditions, yet these issues are often overlooked in the rush to treat the cancer itself,” said Dr. Haque. “Our findings highlight a simple but powerful message: paying close attention to comorbidities may help extend life, especially for women of color who have long faced disparities in cancer outcomes.”
The research underscores the need for coordinated care across oncology, cardiology, and primary care, and suggests that prioritizing hypertension control may be an essential element of survivorship care for patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Read the full study here .
