The possible anti-cancer benefits of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs

Just when you might have thought that the full-range of benefits of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs was understood, the medical research community has locked onto yet another: Better health outcomes for people with cancer. Xavier Martinez reports for The Wall Street Journal on four new GLP-1 trials which find that the drugs slow tumor growth, reduce mortality risk, and reduce the likelihood of developing breast cancer or a cancer recurrence.

In one study, the researchers evaluated 10,000 early stage cancer patients who were on GLP-1 drugs and found that they had a lower risk of having their cancer spread than patients who did not take the GLP-1s.

People with early lung and breast cancers experienced a much longer period to their advancement to late-stage cancers than people not on GLP-1s–10% in GLP-1 users and roughly 20 percent in non-GLP-1 users.

We know that GLP-1s help significantly with weight loss. And, they also reduce people’s likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. They help with sleep apnea and curb drug and alcohol addiction. If they really reduce cancer tumors and improve health outcomes for people with cancer, it would be another major benefit.

It’s important to recognize that the research on the cancer benefits of GLP-1s is observational, not a randomized control trial, meaning that it does not guarantee cause and effect. Study participants were chosen because they were on GLP-1s already when they were diagnosed with cancer. Researchers analyzed their medical records as compared with people who were not on these drugs.

Another study of more than 90,000 women who received breast imaging found that those who were on GLP-1s had a 25 percent less likely risk of a breast cancer diagnosis.

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