July 9th 2024.
A new study has revealed that GLP-1 drugs, which are commonly used for weight loss and include medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, may also have significant benefits in reducing cancer risks for diabetic patients. This research has shed light on a notable decrease in the occurrence of various types of cancer, such as gallbladder cancer, meningioma, pancreatic cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma, among those who use these drugs. In addition, the study has shown a lower risk for ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma, esophageal cancer, endometrial cancer, and kidney cancer.
The study, which was published in JAMA Network Open, focused on 13 types of cancer that are commonly associated with obesity. It found that GLP-1 drugs resulted in a reduced risk of developing cancer in 10 of these types. The only exceptions were post-menopausal breast cancer, stomach cancer, and thyroid cancer, which did not show a decreased risk with the use of GLP-1 drugs.
CNN reported that the research was conducted by a team of experts from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the MetroHealth system. They analyzed the medical records of over 1.7 million individuals with type-2 diabetes. The study also highlighted the potential risk of thyroid complications for those taking these medications, as other studies have shown a negative interaction between insulin production and the thyroid.
While more research is needed to understand the specific relationship between weight loss and cancer risk reduction with these drugs, the study has provided preliminary evidence of their potential benefits for cancer prevention in high-risk populations. The authors have also emphasized the need for further preclinical and clinical studies to confirm these findings.
Lindsey Wang, one of the study's authors and a student at the Center for Science, Health and Society, shared that some of their findings went against their initial hypotheses. "We saw a significant decrease in risk for most gastrointestinal cancers, from the esophagus to the colon. This is particularly interesting because these types of cancer usually have a poor prognosis once diagnosed," Wang said. "One surprising result was the lack of association between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists and breast cancer risk, which was contrary to our expectations."
Dr. Jennie Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Intellihealth, told Healthline that the potential benefits of GLP-1 drugs are just starting to be understood. "I believe we have only scratched the surface in terms of understanding the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists," Stanford said. "As we continue to learn more about their capabilities, I am confident that we will discover more possibilities for their use, such as in dementia, obesity-related cancers, and other medical conditions linked to the same underlying mechanism."
The use of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, has become increasingly popular for weight loss transformation, with celebrities like Tracy Morgan sharing their success stories. This latest research adds to the growing evidence of the potential benefits of these medications beyond weight loss.
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