A recent study indicates that the use of GLP-1 drugs might lower mortality rates for some cancer patients.
According to RAND, nearly 12 percent of the American population has utilized this medication.
The injectable drugs function by emulating the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, which is instrumental in managing blood sugar and appetite.
Wegovy, Zepbound, and Saxenda are among the FDA-approved drugs for weight loss available in the United States.
In contrast, Ozempic, although part of the same drug family, is not approved for weight loss but is instead used for managing type 2 diabetes.
Research conducted by the University of California San Diego now suggests that these medications could reduce mortality rates in patients suffering from a cancer type that is becoming more common among younger individuals.
This pertains to colon cancer, a subset of colorectal cancer, which is noted as the third most prevalent cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
Since the mid-1990s, there has been a steady annual increase of two percent in colorectal cancer cases among those aged 20 to 39, with factors such as high consumption of processed foods and red meat, lack of physical activity, and a sedentary lifestyle contributing to this rise.
However, scientists at UC San Diego discovered that colon cancer patients taking GLP-1 drugs were considerably less likely to die within five years compared to those not on these medications.
Using data from the University of California Health Data Warehouse, the study examined 6,871 patients.
The five-year mortality rate stood at 15.5 percent for those using GLP-1 drugs, compared to 37.1 percent for non-users.
After accounting for variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), disease severity, and other health conditions, the lower mortality risk persisted for patients on GLP-1 drugs.
The most significant impact was observed in patients with a BMI exceeding 35, suggesting that GLP-1 medications may mitigate inflammatory and metabolic issues that can exacerbate colon cancer outcomes.
Researchers identified several potential reasons, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists not only regulating blood sugar but also reducing inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, and promoting weight loss.
Collectively, these effects could disrupt pathways that encourage tumor growth.
Laboratory studies also indicate that GLP-1 medications might inhibit cancer cell proliferation, possibly inducing cell death, and alter the tumor microenvironment in ways that slow disease progression.
Nevertheless, Raphael Cuomo, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a member of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, emphasizes the need for further research to determine whether these advantages are due to a true anti-cancer effect or the drugs’ broader influence on metabolic health.
He has called for urgent clinical trials to investigate if GLP-1 drugs can enhance cancer survival rates, particularly for patients with cancers related to obesity.
The manufacturers of Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, have been approached for comment.