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Colon cancer patients could live longer if they take GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, a new study suggests.
Researchers at UC San Diego studied more than 6,800 patients who were taking one of these popular similar diabetes and weight-loss medications.
They found that the patients were much less likely to die within five years than those who weren’t taking the drugs.
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Only about 15% of GLP-1 users died within five years compared with 37% of non-users, according to a press release.
The survival benefit was seen even after accounting for factors like age, cancer severity and other medical issues, the researchers found.
Colon cancer patients could live longer if they take GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“The central message is that GLP-1 medications were associated with substantially lower five-year mortality among patients with colon cancer, and that this signal was most pronounced in those with severe obesity, with BMI at or above 35,” lead study author Raphael Cuomo, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and member of UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, told Fox News Digital.
“Taken together, the findings are consistent with the idea that improving metabolic health and reducing obesity-related inflammation can translate into better cancer outcomes, not only better glycemic control.”
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The researcher said the findings, which were published in the journal Cancer Investigation on Nov. 11, were surprising.
“I expected some benefit in patients with severe obesity, because GLP-1 therapies directly target the metabolic and inflammatory milieu that drives worse colon cancer outcomes, but the absolute difference in five-year mortality was larger than many clinicians might anticipate,” Cuomo said.
Only about 15% of GLP-1 users died within five years compared with 37% of non-users. (iStock)
One potential reason for the effect is that GLP-1s are known to reduce inflammation, lower insulin levels and promote weight loss, which could also slow down cancer growth, the release stated.
Some scientists also suspect that these drugs could act directly on tumor cells, though that hasn’t yet been proven.
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Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight loss doctor in New York City, agreed that GLP-1s are known to “greatly reduce” systemic inflammation by reducing cytokines, which are inflammatory factors produced by fat cells. This in turn helps to prevent various health issues throughout the body.
“It could be a direct effect of the GLP-1 drug to reduce inflammation in particular areas, and therefore it is not surprising to see better cancer survival,” Decotiis, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Potential limitations
The study did have some limitations, primarily that it could not prove that GLP-1s caused the extended survival, but only established an association.
“This was an observational analysis, so residual confounding is always possible despite extensive adjustment,” Cuomo told Fox News Digital.
The survival benefit was seen even after accounting for factors like age, cancer severity and other medical issues. (iStock)
The number of patients actually receiving GLP-1 medications was modest relative to the overall group, he noted, and the researchers did not have “perfectly complete information” on the exact “dose, duration or adherence” for every individual.
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“Our data come from a single integrated academic health system, so generalizability has to be tested in other settings,” Cuomo added.
More research and randomized studies are needed to confirm whether GLP-1 medications truly improve cancer survival.
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“Patients should not interpret these findings as evidence that GLP-1 medications are proven cancer drugs,” said Cuomo. “For now, the appropriate way to act on this work is to ensure that people with colon cancer who also have obesity or diabetes are offered guideline-supported metabolic therapies, including GLP-1 agents when clinically indicated, as part of comprehensive care.”
Some scientists also suspect that these drugs could act directly on tumor cells, though that hasn’t yet been proven. (American Cancer Society/Getty Images)
The researcher emphasized that this is a “hopeful signal rather than a final answer.”
“It suggests that we may be able to improve cancer outcomes by treating the whole person and not just the tumor, and that modern metabolic therapies could have unanticipated benefits for patients with malignancy,” he said.
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The results also highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, optimizing metabolic health and adhering closely to established cancer treatments and follow-up, according to the researchers.
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Decotiis agreed that it is too soon to use these drugs as ancillary treatments for cancer, which will require more data.
“However, treating and preventing obesity and overweight patients is even more compelling after seeing the outcomes of GLP-1s,” she said. “There is definitely a future for these drugs in the long term in the treatment of many diseases.”