A new study suggests that popular weight-loss medications may do more than just help with diabetes and obesity—they could also modestly reduce the risk of developing certain cancers among adults with diabetes, according to findings released Thursday by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Potential Cancer Prevention
Researchers analyzed health records from more than 170,000 U.S. adults with both obesity and diabetes, focusing on those treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists—drugs known for managing blood sugar and, more recently, for aiding weight loss. The study compared these patients to a similar group taking dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, a class of diabetes drugs not associated with weight loss.The study found that after four years, patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists showed a 7 percent lower risk of developing any of 14 obesity-related cancers and an 8 percent lower risk of death from any cause, compared to those taking DPP-4 inhibitors.
