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Common diabetes medicines can reduce risk of 13 obesity-linked cancers, study suggests Credits: Social Media
By Bruno Cooke

Common diabetes medicines can reduce risk of 13 obesity-linked cancers, study suggests

By Bruno Cooke

Researchers working in cancer prevention found that a common type of medicine taken by type 2 diabetics appears to have the remarkable side effect of lowering the risk of several types of cancer. 

Being overweight or having obesity is linked with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer, according to the CDC. Comparing the effects of taking injections of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) with those of having bariatric surgery �procedures for managing obesity and obesity-related health conditions  they found that taking the diabetes medicine led to a lower risk of obesity-related cancers, at least, among patients over 35.�Elsewhere, researchers recently found that a low-calorie, nutritionally complete diet has the potential to enable diabetes sufferers to experience remission.

Weekly injections of GLP-1 receptor agonist for improved glucose regulation in type 2 diabetes
Semaglutide injection pen or cartridge pen for diabetics and weight loss in female hand. Medical equipment for diabetes patients Credit: Iuliia Burmistrova

GLP-1 agonist medicines work by copying the action of a hormone called GLP-1. If your body is functioning healthily, your stomach produces sufficient GLP-1 when you eat food.

GLP-1 medicines help your body make more insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood. They also reduce the amount of sugar the liver produces and slow down the digestion of food. This makes it take longer for your body to absorb the sugar in food. 

People with type 2 diabetes can take GLP-1 agonist medicines in the form of injections or tablets.�Two well-known examples of GLP-1 agonist medicines are Wegovy and Ozempic, one for diabetics, and the first, created for weight loss patients.

Researchers at the MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio found that taking GLP-1 agonist medicines was also associated with a lower risk of obesity-related cancers. In fact, it reduced the risk of developing such cancers to a degree comparable with people who have surgery to manage obesity.

Obesity linked to increased risk of developing 13 cancers

Its common knowledge that obesity is bad for your health. But understanding the extent to which it can wreak havoc on your body can be sobering.

13 cancers are associated with being overweight or obese. It’s these cancers that people over 35 appear to be less likely to get if they take GLP-1 agonist medicines  i.e. if they’re medicating type 2 diabetics.

  • Meningioma – cancer in the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord
  • Thyroid
  • Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus
  • Breast cancer, in post-menopausal women
  • Liver
  • Multiple myeloma – cancer of the red blood cells
  • Gallbladder
  • Kidneys
  • Upper stomach
  • Pancreas
  • Uterus
  • Colon and rectum
  • Ovaries

Along with avoiding tobacco use, staying a healthy weight is arguably the best thing you can do to minimize your risk of getting cancer.

Having said that, being obese doesnt mean someone will definitely get cancer. It just means they run a higher risk.�

Body Mass Index (BMI) is an accessible screening tool to gauge whether someone is overweight or obese. However, its not necessarily the most useful tool, because being very muscular can inflate your BMI, making it look like youre an unhealthy weight when you’re not.