Propranolol Plus Standard Radiation Therapy Before Surgery for the Treatment of Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcoma

This phase I trial tests the safety, tolerability and impact of adding propranolol to standard radiation therapy (RT) before surgery for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. Sarcomas are a diverse group of rare tumors arising from connective tissue. Approximately 13,000-16,000 new cases of sarcomas arise in the United States annually. Sarcoma management involves multidisciplinary team decision making and treatment is multimodal utilizing chemotherapy (if needed) and RT prior to surgical intervention. Propranolol is a drug that has been used for many years for high blood pressure by blocking both beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. Preclinical data suggests that blocking the beta-2 adrenergic receptors can improve the response to both chemotherapy and radiation. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. RT before surgery makes the tumor smaller and reduces the amount of tissue that needs to be removed during surgery. Surgery is the most common treatment for soft tissue sarcoma. Giving propranolol with standard RT before surgery may be safe, tolerable and impactful in treating patients with soft tissue carcinoma.