GLP-1 receptor agonists such as the popular weight loss/diabetes therapies Mounjaro, developed by Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY), and Ozempic, developed by Novo Nordisk (NVO), can reduce cancer risk, according to research findings published on Jama Oncology this week.
After studying electronic health records of more than 80,000 obese patients with no prior cancer history, the researchers noted that GLP-1 users indicated a statistically significant decline in overall cancer risk compared to non-users.
The study was based on EHR data from the health research network, OneFlorida+, representing 43,315 non-GLP-1 users and 43,317 users who were on GLP-1s, including Novo Nordisk’s (OTCPK:NONOF) Ozempic as well as Eli Lilly’s (LLY) Mounjaro from 2014 to 2024.
Their findings suggest that the incidence rate for 14 cancer types, including 13 obesity-associated cancers such as endometrial tumors, stood at 13.6 among thousands of patients using GLP-1s each year compared to 16.4 among non-users.
The study led by Hao Dai, a health data scientist at Indiana University, further indicated that GLP-1 drugs are, however, associated with a slight and nonsignificant increase in risk for kidney cancer.
Given the retrospective nature of the study and the fact that no GLP-1 drugs are indicated for cancer, the researchers called for a longer-term follow-up to evaluate the clinical implications and reasons behind their findings.