Can weight-loss drugs like Ozempic help prevent cancer? New study says yes

New research suggests GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro may lower the risk of several obesity-related cancers, even matching surgery in preventive benefits

What if a medication designed to help with weight loss could also protect you from cancer? New research suggests it’s a possibility. Scientists have found that certain weight-loss drugs, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, might not only help people shed kilos but also significantly lower the risk of obesity-related cancers.

Weight-loss drugs may reduce more than weight—possibly cancer risk

In a recent study titled “Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists compared with bariatric metabolic surgery and the risk of obesity-related cancer”, published in The Lancet’s open-access journal eClinicalMedicine, researchers found that people taking first-generation GLP-1 drugs—like Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), Dulaglutide (Trulicity), Exenatide (Byetta), and Liraglutide (Victoza)—had a similar reduction in cancer risk as those who underwent bariatric surgery, despite losing less weight on average. 

Study highlights and key findings

• Participants: Over 6,300 adults in Israel with obesity and type 2 diabetes
• Duration: Patients were tracked for an average of 7.5 years (up to 12.9 years)
• Cancer focus: Breast, colorectal, uterine, ovarian, pancreatic, and liver cancers
• Key finding: GLP-1 drugs showed a 41 per cent greater direct protective effect than surgery after adjusting for weight loss

How did GLP-1 drugs perform compared to bariatric surgery?

The occurrence rates were nearly identical in both groups:

• Bariatric surgery group: 150 of 3,178 developed cancer
• GLP-1 drug group: 148 of 3,178 developed cancer

Even though surgery led to more weight loss, GLP-1 medications matched it in cancer prevention, and after adjusting for weight, they showed a stronger direct effect.

Why GLP-1 drugs may protect against cancer

Researchers believe inflammation is the key. Obesity creates a pro-inflammatory state, which is known to increase cancer risk. GLP-1 receptor agonists:

• Decrease immune system overactivation
• Lower inflammatory markers
• Improve hormone regulation

These combined effects may reduce the likelihood of developing cancer. 

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs available in India

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) by Eli Lilly

 

Weekly injection for type 2 diabetes

Cost: ₹3,500 (2.5 mg), ₹4,375 (5 mg)

  Semaglutide (Wegovy) by Novo Nordisk

 

Weekly injection

Yet to launch in India

Expected monthly cost: ₹8,000 to ₹14,000

 

Semaglutide (Rybelsus) by Novo Nordisk 

Daily oral medicine

Cost: ₹12,000 to ₹13,000 a month

Potential risks and side effects of GLP-1 drugs

Common and rare side effects include: 

• Gastrointestinal issues (nausea, diarrhoea)
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Rare kidney complications 

Concerns over links to pancreatic or thyroid cancer (no confirmed causal evidence so far) 

Final takeaway: promising, but more research needed 

Experts caution that while the findings are promising, more randomised trials and long-term studies are essential. GLP-1 drugs could be part of a larger arsenal in cancer prevention, but their full implications are still being understood.  For more health updates and wellness insights, follow #HealthWithBS