Ozempic-Like Drugs for Diabetes Could Reduce Risk of Cancer, Study Reveals

For some individuals, cancer risk could be reduced with the help of GLP-1 diabetes drugs like Ozempic.

These cancers are some of those that have been specifically linked to obesity and surplus weight.

Reducing Cancer Risk With Ozempic-Like Drugs

As part of the study, the researchers' analyses mainly focused on 1,651,452 type 2 diabetes patients.

All of these patients were clear of a medical history linked to 13 cancers that obesity is associated with.

The administration of treatment for these individuals lasted from 2005 to 2018.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) drugs, like Ozempic, were among the treatments they received.

Ozempic is a GLP-1 drug for diabetes. It is administered to individuals whose diabetic conditions are not controlled satisfactorily and need further intervention.

The drug can be taken independently by individuals who are unable to take metformin, another drug for treating diabetes. Ozempic can also be taken in addition to other diabetes treatments.

Ozempic can only be attained with a prescription from a doctor. It comes as an injection solution in prefilled pens. It is typically injected in the patient's upper arm, thigh, or belly skin.

Those who received Ozempipc and GLP-1 drugs as treatment were found to have a reduced risk of certain cancers. They specifically had a notably reduced risk of having ten cancers associated with obesity.

The "Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and 13 Obesity-Associated Cancers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes" report documented these findings.

Though the study offers initial evidence, the authors admit that the study comes with limitations. For one, the study is purely observational and correlational and cannot yield any causal conclusions.

Obesity-Related Cancers

Obesity may impact type 2 diabetes as well as insulin resistance. They could also worsen the risk and prognosis of certain cancers. Bodily changes, such as chronic inflammation and elevated insulin levels, may also result from excess weight.

Excess weight has been associated with around 40% of new diagnoses of cancer, as noted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC data also revealed that in 2021, roughly 170 new diagnoses were made among every 100,000 individuals.

The study mainly focused on 13 obesity-related cancers. This link is due to how fat buildup has been previously associated with their development risk and worse prognosis.

The Ozempic-like drugs were found to notably reduce the risk of colorectal, esophageal, kidney, endometrial, gallbladder, liver, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer. This was also the case for multiple myeloma and meningioma.

Further research must examine how reduced cancer risk could be associated with the weight loss scale. Nevertheless, the findings serve as initial evidence of how Ozempic-like drugs could potentially benefit cancer prevention among populations that are at high risk. It could also support clinical and preclinical research in the future.

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