Ozempic, Wegovy could help prevent some cancers: Study

New weight loss drugs may lessen chance of some cancers: Study

Use lowered risk for 10 of 13 obesity-associated cancers
15.5 million U.S. adults use the injections as of May 2024
Scientists: Hopeful findings should lead to further research

Updated: Jul 5, 2024 / 10:45 PM EDT

FILE – The injectable drug Ozempic is shown Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Houston. A preliminary review of side effects from popular drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity shows no link with suicidal thoughts or actions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. But the agency also said officials cannot definitively rule out that “a small risk may exist” and that they’ll continue to look into reports regarding more than a dozen drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

(NewsNation) — A class of diabetes drug used for weight loss, which includes Ozempic and Wegovy, could offer protection from some cancers, new research has discovered.

The JAMA Oncology study looked at health data from more than 1.6 million patients with Type 2 diabetes over 15 years, analyzing the impact of these drugs (known as GLP-1s or GLP-1RAs), insulin or metformin on developing obesity-associated cancers.

GLP-1 drugs, which help control blood sugar by mimicking the body’s naturally produced insulin, include Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Victoza and Saxenda.

There are 13 identified OACs, categorized by the increased risk of cancer when there is excess fat in the body.

Data found GLP-1 drugs greatly reduced the risk of developing 10 of the 13: meningioma and multiple myeloma as well as esophageal, colorectal, endometrial, gall bladder, kidney, liver, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.

Since the study was retrospective and observational in nature, it’s unknown whether there is a direct cause and effect between GLP-1 drugs and reduced risk of cancer, or just a relationship. The study acknowledges that weight loss from the drugs could occur, which might contribute to a lower risk of OACs.

The study’s findings join a growing amount of evidence that weight-loss and Type 2 diabetes management drugs may serve medical purposes beyond their intended market use. Roughly 15.5 million U.S. adults use the drugs, according to a May Gallup poll.

“The potential cancer-preventative effects of OACs by GLP-1RAs warrant further long-term studies as well as studies of individual newer and possibly more effective antidiabetic and weight loss agents as well as those with multihormone agonist activities,” the researchers said.