GLP-1 class diabetes drugs, including the well-known obesity treatments Wegovy and Mounjaro, may improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients, according to new research findings.
According to The Wall Street Journal on Friday, a recent study led by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute tracked more than 10,000 patients who began taking GLP-1 drugs after being diagnosed with early-stage cancer and compared their disease progression with that of patients taking other diabetes medications. The GLP-1 group showed a lower probability of cancer metastasis.
Among lung cancer patients, the rate of progression to advanced disease — meaning the cancer had moved beyond its early stage to invade surrounding tissue or spread to other organs — fell to less than half in the GLP-1 group (10%) compared with the control group (22%). A similar pattern was observed in breast cancer patients, with 10% in the GLP-1 group versus 20% in the control group, while colorectal and liver cancers also showed statistically significant reductions.
Mark Orland, a resident physician at the Cleveland Clinic, noted that millions of Americans are taking GLP-1 drugs and stressed that "it is obviously very important for us to understand immediately what the potential anti-tumor effects are." He is scheduled to present the research at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2026 Annual Meeting in Chicago, running from the 29th of this month through the 2nd of next month.
Other studies have examined whether GLP-1 users have a lower probability of developing breast cancer and longer survival after diagnosis. According to a paper from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center analyzing more than 137,000 breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate among GLP-1 drug users was over 95%, higher than the 89.5% rate among non-users. A University of Pennsylvania study of about 95,000 women who underwent breast imaging found that women taking GLP-1 drugs were about 25% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, even after accounting for other risk factors such as age and weight.
Beyond lowering blood sugar and reducing weight, GLP-1 drugs have also been approved for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Clinical trials are also under way to test their effectiveness in alleviating sleep apnea and curbing addictive behavior.
However, these studies are not rigorously designed clinical trials intended to verify therapeutic efficacy but rather observational studies based on retrospective review, demonstrating correlation rather than causation. The patients in the studies were already taking the drugs to treat diabetes or obesity, and researchers identified statistically significant trends by analyzing their medical records. Additional research is needed to confirm implications such as the potential for anti-cancer effects, observers say.
Meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended approval of Novo Nordisk's oral obesity treatment Wegovy tablets on the 22nd, according to reports. Following marketing authorization review by the European Commission, the Wegovy pill will be launched in earnest in the European market. The move puts Novo Nordisk a step ahead of U.S. rival Eli Lilly, with Wegovy poised to enjoy first-mover advantage as Europe's first oral weight-loss treatment. Novo obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval earlier this year and has been enjoying first-mover advantage with an earlier launch in the United States. Lilly's oral weight-loss treatment Zepbound was launched in April after receiving U.S. approval.
