For sufferers with sort 2 diabetes, taking one of many new GLP-1 medication, similar to Ozempic, is related to decrease dangers of growing 10 out of 13 obesity-associated cancers as in contrast with taking insulin, based on a current examine revealed in JAMA Community Open.
The examine was retrospective, capturing information from over 1.6 million sufferers with sort 2 diabetes however no historical past of obesity-associated cancers previous to the examine interval. Utilizing digital well being information, researchers had follow-up information for as much as 15 years after the sufferers began taking both a GLP-1 drug, insulin, or metformin between 2008 and 2015.
This kind of examine cannot show that the GLP-1 medication brought about the decrease related dangers, however the outcomes match with some earlier findings. That features outcomes from one trial that discovered a 32 % total decrease danger of obesity-associated cancers following bariatric surgical procedure for weight reduction.
Within the new examine, led by researchers at Case Western Reserve College College of Medication, among the GLP-1-associated danger reductions have been fairly substantial. In contrast with sufferers taking insulin, sufferers taking a GLP-1 drug had a 65 % decrease related danger of gall bladder most cancers, a 63 % decrease related danger of meningioma (a sort of mind tumor), a 59 % decrease related danger for pancreatic most cancers, and a 53 % decrease related danger of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver most cancers). The researchers additionally discovered decrease related dangers for esophageal most cancers, colorectal most cancers, kidney most cancers, ovarian most cancers, endometrial most cancers, and a number of myeloma.
In contrast with insulin, the researchers noticed no lowered related danger for thyroid and breast cancers. There was a decrease danger of abdomen most cancers calculated, however the discovering was not statistically important.
Gaps and targets
The GLP-1 medication didn’t present such promising outcomes towards metformin within the examine. In contrast with sufferers taking metformin, sufferers on GLP-1 medication noticed decrease related dangers of colorectal most cancers, gall bladder most cancers, and meningioma, however these calculations weren’t statistically important. The outcomes additionally unexpectedly indicated a greater danger of kidney most cancers for these taking GLP-1 medication, however the reason for that probably greater danger (which was not seen within the comparability with insulins) is unclear. The researchers referred to as for extra analysis to research that potential affiliation.
General, the researchers name for a lot extra research to attempt to affirm a hyperlink between GLP-1 medication and decrease most cancers dangers, in addition to research to attempt to perceive the mechanisms behind these potential danger reductions. It is unclear if the decrease dangers could also be pushed merely be weight reduction, or if insulin resistance, blood sugar ranges, or another mechanisms are at play.
The present examine had a number of limitations given its retrospective, records-based design. Maybe the largest one is that the info did not enable the researchers to trace particular person sufferers’ weights all through the examine interval. As such, researchers could not look at related most cancers danger reductions with precise weight reduction. It is yet another side that warrants additional analysis.
Nonetheless, the examine supplies one other promising outcome for the blockbuster, albeit pricy, medication. The researchers recommend extending their work to evaluate whether or not GLP-1 medication might be used to enhance outcomes in sufferers with sort 2 diabetes or weight problems who’re already identified with most cancers, along with understanding if the medication may help forestall the most cancers to start with.