Weight-loss drugs may lower cancer risk in those with obesity: Study

​​​​​​​By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, already popular for diabetes and weight loss, may also lower the risk of some cancers, according to a study published by researchers at Indiana University and the University of Florida.

The study reviewed health records for more than 86,000 adults with obesity. About half took GLP-1 receptor agonists, the class of drugs that includes Ozempic and Wegovy, and half did not.

Over time, those taking the drugs had a lower overall risk of cancer than those who did not, researchers found. The biggest reductions were seen for endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and meningioma, a type of brain tumor.

At the same time, the drugs were linked to a possible higher risk of kidney cancer, though the increase was not considered statistically strong.

The study does not prove the drugs directly reduce or increase cancer risk, but it shows a clear link that researchers said needs longer-term follow-up.

GLP-1 drugs are widely prescribed in the US, first for type 2 diabetes and increasingly for weight management.