Key TakeawaysPatients with type 2 diabetes who took GLP-1 drugs had a lower risk of developing 10 out of 13 obesity-associated cancers, according to a retrospective cohort study.The study showed that metformin also reduced cancer risk and had an even greater beneficial effect on kidney cancer compared to GLP-1 drugs.Randomized clinical trials are needed to prove a causal relationship between GLP-1 drugs and reduced cancer risk.

Key Takeaways

Patients with type 2 diabetes who took GLP-1 drugs had a lower risk of developing 10 out of 13 obesity-associated cancers, according to a retrospective cohort study.The study showed that metformin also reduced cancer risk and had an even greater beneficial effect on kidney cancer compared to GLP-1 drugs.Randomized clinical trials are needed to prove a causal relationship between GLP-1 drugs and reduced cancer risk.

GLP-1 drugs may reduce the risk of certain obesity-associated cancers, according to a study published inJAMA Network Openlast week.

In the study, scientists analyzed electronic health records of more than 1.6 million patients withtype 2 diabeteswho were prescribed a GLP-1 drug, insulin, or metformin between 2005 and 2018.

Compared to patients who took insulin, those prescribed GLP-1 drugs had a lower risk of developing 10 out of 13 cancers associated with obesity, including esophageal, colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, liver, ovarian, and pancreatic, as well as meningioma and multiple myeloma.

“Our study provides crucial evidence that GLP-1RAs hold promise in breaking the link between obesity and cancer,” said Lindsey Wang, co-author of the study and a student in the BS-MD program at Case Western Reserve University.

“Most notably, we observed a significant risk reduction across multiple gastrointestinal cancers,” Wang told Verywell in an email. “This broad spectrum of effects is significant given the often poor prognosis associated with these cancers.”

The study also compared the diabetes medicationmetforminto GLP-1s. Patients who took metformin also had reduced risk for most cancer types, and they had an even lower risk of developing kidney cancer compared to the GLP-1 group.

The study adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic and Mounjaro, can provide health benefits beyond blood sugar control and weight loss for people with diabetes.

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What the Study Shows

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, was approved for type 2 diabetes in 2017 and for weight loss in 2021. The latest records analyzed in the study were from 2018, which means the patients may have been prescribed older GLP-1 medications, such as exenatide, liraglutide, or dulaglutide.

“I found it quite striking that this reduced cancer risk in patients on GLP-1 was similar to those treated with metformin, and that actually metformin conferred a greater beneficial effect on kidney cancer compared to GLP-1,”Bubu Banini, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine specializing in digestive diseases at the Yale School of Medicine, told Verywell in an email.

Banini also found it “surprising” that people in this study who took a GLP-1 drug did not have a significantly lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, despite it being one of the most common types of obesity-associated cancers.

Could GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Obesity-Related Cancers in the Future?

Not a Proof of Causality

The study was a retrospective cohort study, meaning scientists looked at preexisting health records to determine if there was a connection between diabetes treatment prescriptions and cancer diagnoses. However, it doesn’t prove the GLP-1 drug is the reason for lower cancer risks. Researchers will have to design randomized clinical trials to prove causality.

Thosani cautioned that health records can sometimes be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. Additionally, the study only tracked whether someone was prescribed a GLP-1 drug, but not whether they took it consistently or filled the prescription at all. The medications must be taken every week or every day, depending on the prescription, to be most effective.

“The patients that are represented in the study are those that had medical encounters. We may not be getting the full picture of patients who don’t have access to health care and may have increased risk of certain types of cancer,” Thosani said.

GLP-1 Drugs Won’t Fix the Flaws in Obesity Care

Why GLP-1s May Protect Against Cancer

Fat cells produce inflammatory markers, which can signal cells to multiply and grow uncontrollably, leading to DNA damage. GLP-1s likely reduce obesity-associated cancer risk because they are so effective at helping people lose fat, Thosani explained.

“When we reduce the adipose tissue, we’re reducing all of this inflammation and cell proliferation. Those factors help reduce the risk of cancer development,” Thosani said.

While obesity is a key risk factor for all 13 of the cancers studied, it’s not the only risk factor, according to Banini.

In the case of prostate cancer, for instance, the GLP-1 drug could directly slow the development of cancer cells and allow the body to better destroy those cells, Banini said. The drugs could also make chemotherapy more effective for treating pancreatic cancer.

Newer GLP-1 medications likeZepbound (tirzepatide)may prove to be more cancer-protective because they tend to cause more weight loss and better glycemic control.

Some studies already consider whether there are factors beyond weight loss that cause GLP-1s to influence cancer outcomes for those with diabetes.

“It could be interesting to see what other factors are at play,” Thosani said. “Could this drug be helpful in patients who are at higher risk for certain cancers but do not have obesity?”

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What This Means For YouIf you have type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 drugs may offer additional health benefits beyond blood sugar control and weight loss, potentially lowering your risk of certain cancers. However, these findings are still preliminary, and more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

What This Means For You

If you have type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 drugs may offer additional health benefits beyond blood sugar control and weight loss, potentially lowering your risk of certain cancers. However, these findings are still preliminary, and more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wang L, Xu R, Kaelber DC, et al.Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and 13 obesity-associated cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421305. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21305Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid RK.Obesity and cancer: a current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Fareed A, Hussain A.The expanding role of GLP-1: from diabetes management to cancer treatment.Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes. 2023;16. doi:10.1177/11795514231213566

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wang L, Xu R, Kaelber DC, et al.Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and 13 obesity-associated cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421305. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21305Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid RK.Obesity and cancer: a current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Fareed A, Hussain A.The expanding role of GLP-1: from diabetes management to cancer treatment.Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes. 2023;16. doi:10.1177/11795514231213566

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Wang L, Xu R, Kaelber DC, et al.Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and 13 obesity-associated cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421305. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21305Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid RK.Obesity and cancer: a current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485Fareed A, Hussain A.The expanding role of GLP-1: from diabetes management to cancer treatment.Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes. 2023;16. doi:10.1177/11795514231213566

Wang L, Xu R, Kaelber DC, et al.Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and 13 obesity-associated cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421305. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21305

Pati S, Irfan W, Jameel A, Ahmed S, Shahid RK.Obesity and cancer: a current overview of epidemiology, pathogenesis, outcomes, and management.Cancers (Basel). 2023;15(2):485. doi:10.3390/cancers15020485

Fareed A, Hussain A.The expanding role of GLP-1: from diabetes management to cancer treatment.Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes. 2023;16. doi:10.1177/11795514231213566

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