Overseas research suggests that obesity drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro could evolve into cancer treatments. The obesity drugs were found to slow the progression of lung and breast cancer.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 21st (local time) that researchers at the Cleveland Clinic cancer institute tracked more than 10,000 patients who were diagnosed with early-stage cancer and took glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 drugs. They were less likely to have their cancer metastasize than patients who took other diabetes medications.
For lung cancer patients, the rate of worsening to advanced disease was 10% when taking GLP-1 drugs. That is half the level of the control group (22%). Advanced disease means a condition in which the illness has progressed beyond the initial stage and has invaded surrounding tissue or spread to other organs. Breast cancer patients who took GLP-1 drugs also had a lower rate of worsening to advanced disease than the control group. Patients with colorectal cancer and liver cancer also showed statistically significant reductions.
GLP-1 is a hormone secreted by the small intestine after meals. It promotes the secretion of insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and suppresses glucagon, which raises blood sugar. Wegovy and Mounjaro, which mimic GLP-1, were originally developed as diabetes treatments, then evolved into obesity drugs after their weight-loss effects were confirmed.
It is still unclear why GLP-1 drugs are effective for cancer patients. The Wall Street Journal said, "One theory is that they indirectly lower the risk of developing cancer by improving weight loss and metabolic health." Mark Orland, a Cleveland Clinic resident, will present these findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago from the 29th to June 2.
This study is an observational study, not a clinical trial that directly tests therapeutic effects. Experts noted variables such as differences in access to health care. They said randomized trials are needed to establish a clear causal relationship. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Company, which introduced Wegovy and Mounjaro, are not currently conducting research on the anticancer effects of GLP-1 drugs.