Medications for weight loss may reduce the chance of developing or dying from cancer by as much as 30 percent, according to physicians. Millions already take these drugs for obesity. Recent research presented at a major oncology meeting indicates the medications could help prevent and manage cancer. One review showed users of GLP-1 drugs had a 30 percent lower likelihood of breast cancer, the most frequent cancer worldwide, than non-users. Another analysis found that combining these drugs with standard breast cancer care lowered death risk by 30 percent. A third study of patients with breast, lung, bowel or liver cancer reported up to 50 percent reduced odds of disease progression among those taking the medications. Results were discussed at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago. GLP-1 drugs imitate a body hormone that controls blood sugar and appetite. First approved for type 2 diabetes, they are now common for weight control. The initial review examined records of 110,000 women aged 45 to 80 and found a 30 percent drop in breast cancer incidence among GLP-1 users. The presenter noted the observational design limits firm conclusions but supports further study of these drugs for cancer prevention. The medications influence multiple pathways linked to cancer. Maintaining healthy weight is already advised to lower breast cancer risk, and excess weight after menopause raises that risk. GLP-1 drugs also lessen inflammation and produce metabolic changes that may slow tumor growth. A second analysis of 27,000 breast cancer cases linked the addition of weight-loss drugs to standard therapy with a 30 percent decrease in mortality. The third review of 12,000 patients found 38 to 50 percent lower rates of advanced disease in several cancers among drug users. Experts not involved in the work said the drugs show effects beyond glucose control and called for more trials to clarify benefits and mechanisms.
