Could weight loss drugs help prevent cancer? Here's what a new study found.
Studies have shown the popular weight loss drugs known as GLP-1 agonists may be helpful for more than just curbing appetite — and new research is looking at their potential impact on cancer risk. GLP-1 drugs include popular brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound.
In the observational study, released Thursday ahead of being presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology conference, researchers found GLP-1s may modestly reduce the risk of 14 obesity-related cancers, especially colorectal cancer, when compared to a different type of medication often used to treat diabetes, known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DDP-4) inhibitors, which don't have the same weight loss effect.
"Patients who took GLP-1 receptor agonists had a 7% lower risk of developing an obesity-related cancer and an 8% lower risk of death from any cause compared to those who took a DDP-4 inhibitor," the authors noted.
The study looked at 170,030 adults with obesity and diabetes from 43 health system in the United States.
While the difference between the two treatments was not statistically significant for men, the study found women treated with GLP-1s had an 8% lower risk of obesity-related cancer and a 20% lower risk of all causes of death compared to those treated with DDP-4 inhibitors.
The authors of the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, said they hope to continue their research longer than four years and with those who do not have diabetes.
"I see many patients with obesity, and given the clear link between cancer and obesity, defining the clinical role of GLP-1 medications in cancer prevention is important," Dr. Robin Zon, American Society of Clinical Oncology president, said in a news release. "Though this trial does not establish causation, it hints that these drugs might have a preventative effect. Future research is needed to validate these findings, including in patients who do not have diabetes."
An American Cancer Society study, published last year in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, found more than 40% of all cancer fatalities among adults age 30 and over in the United States could be linked to lifestyle risks that could be changed, including smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and diet.
