Being overweight can make people more likely to get certain types of cancer. If they take some medicines to lose weight, it can also reduce their chances of getting those cancers. Hence researchers conducted a study to check if weight-loss drugs called GLP-1 agonists can lower the chances of people getting any of the 13 cancers that are linked to obesity. Â
GLP-1 is a hormone produced by the gut after a meal that signals fullness. GLP-1 drugs deliver synthetic GLP-1 that is longer-lasting than the body’s. Recent versions include some drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, respectively. But researchers used some older versions such as liraglutide and dulaglutide in this study.Â
This study was recently published in JAMA Network Open. In this study, researchers studied the health records of more than 1.6 million people. These people had type 2 diabetes. They divided them into two groups such as the GLP-1 drug group and the insulin group. The GLP-1 group was consisted of people who used GLP-1 drugs. On the other hand, the insulin group was consisted of people who used insulin to maintain their blood sugar levels. Then they tracked them and compared their data with each other to avoid bias and systemic errors. Â
When researchers observed the collected data, they found that people who received GLP-1 drugs between 2005 and 2008 were less likely to be diagnosed with 10 out of 13 types of cancers that are linked to obesity as compared to those who used insulin. They also found that insulin treatment also reduced the risk of many types of cancers such as pancreatic, endometrial, colorectal and liver cancer. On the other hand, the risk of breast, stomach and thyroid was not reduced or increased. This study did not disclose the weight loss with GLP-1drugs. Â
In this study, researchers also compared the cancer risk of GLP-1 drugs and metformin. It is a common diabetes treatment drug. When researchers observed the results, they found that GLP-1 drugs did not reduce the risk of cancer more than metformin. But it increased the risk of kidney cancer as compared to metformin.Â
This study clearly shows that GLP-1 agonists such as liraglutide and dulaglutide can reduce the risk of some cancers that are related to obesity more effectively as compared to insulin. Hence healthcare professionals should consider this and suggest these drugs to those with diabetes and obesity. This can reduce the risk of many cancers. But these drugs are not significantly better than metformin and can also increase the risk of kidney cancer. Hence there is a need for further research to understand more about it. Â
