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Rachel V Thomas

Ozempic-Like Weight-Loss Drugs May Cut Breast Cancer Risk By A Third, Finds Research

While GLP-1 drugs have shown their effectiveness in reducing weight and managing diabetes, new research suggests they may also help reduce the risk of <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a></span>, particularly <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/breast-cancer">breast cancer</a></span>.

According to a new study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, US, women between the ages of 45 and 80 who took a GLP-1 medication were 30 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer. The analysis was based on data from more than 110,000 women.

"While the study does not definitively confirm an association between GLP-1 medications and reduced breast cancer incidence, it does add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that it's worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools," the researchers said.

"GLP-1 medications are intriguing from a cancer research perspective because they weren't designed for cancer therapy, but they do affect many different targets and pathways associated with cancer development, so we're eager to study them in this context," said Elizabeth McDonald, Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.

The findings were presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago and were also published in <em>JCO Oncology Practice</em>.

<h2>Potential New Tool For Cancer Prevention</h2>

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women worldwide and the most common cancer diagnosed overall, accounting for approximately 2.3 million new cases and 670,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Every year, breast cancer accounts for about 30% of all new cancer cases in US women.

Beyond breast cancer screening through mammography or MRI, medical or surgical interventions to reduce breast cancer risk remain limited and can be life-altering.

Prophylactic mastectomy is recommended for some individuals with genetic mutations that significantly increase their lifetime risk of breast cancer. Tamoxifen is also highly effective in reducing breast cancer incidence among high-risk patients, but its uptake remains limited because of known side effects. In contrast, GLP-1 medications are already widely used by millions of Americans.

"Ultimately, we want to find better options to prevent breast cancer," McDonald said. "It's been encouraging to see the survival rates for breast cancer improve over recent decades, and we'd love to see the same gains in prevention."

<h2>GLP-1 Shows Promise For Multiple Cancers</h2>

Another study by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic suggested that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications may help slow the spread of several obesity-related cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal and liver cancers.

The researchers found that across six of the seven malignancies studied, GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure was associated with reduced metastatic progression, with significant reductions observed in non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The study included 12,112 patients with obesity-related cancers ranging from stage 1 to stage 3. Half of the participants began taking a GLP-1 medication after their cancer diagnosis, while the remaining participants were treated with DPP-4 inhibitors, commonly known as "gliptins", a different class of diabetes medications.

The comparison showed that patients who took GLP-1 medications had a substantially lower progression to stage 4 disease across four cancer types.

"Our study found that use of GLP-1 drugs, compared to DPP-4 inhibitors and other antidiabetic drugs, was associated with a meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types," said study author Mark David Orland from the Taussig Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer can help ensure a prompt diagnosis. Breast cancer can cause a wide array of symptoms, including:

<ul><li>Pain in the breast</li><li>A lump or thickening of tissue in the breast or underarm</li><li>An unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast</li><li>Suddenly asymmetrical breasts</li><li>Irritation in the breast skin</li><li>Redness or warmth in the breast skin</li><li>A change in the texture of the breast skin (often featuring a thick, pitted appearance resembling an orange peel).</li></ul>

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While GLP-1 drugs have shown their effectiveness in reducing weight and managing diabetes, new research suggests they may also help reduce the risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer.According to a new study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, US, women between the ages of 45 and 80 who took a GLP-1 medication were 30 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer. The analysis was based on data from more than 110,000 women."While the study does not definitively confirm an association between GLP-1 medications and reduced breast cancer incidence, it does add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that it's worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools," the researchers said."GLP-1 medications are intriguing from a cancer research perspective because they weren't designed for cancer therapy, but they do affect many different targets and pathways associated with cancer development, so we're eager to study them in this context," said Elizabeth McDonald, Professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.The findings were presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago and were also published in JCO Oncology Practice.Potential New Tool For Cancer PreventionBreast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women worldwide and the most common cancer diagnosed overall, accounting for approximately 2.3 million new cases and 670,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Every year, breast cancer accounts for about 30% of all new cancer cases in US women.Beyond breast cancer screening through mammography or MRI, medical or surgical interventions to reduce breast cancer risk remain limited and can be life-altering.Prophylactic mastectomy is recommended for some individuals with genetic mutations that significantly increase their lifetime risk of breast cancer. Tamoxifen is also highly effective in reducing breast cancer incidence among high-risk patients, but its uptake remains limited because of known side effects. In contrast, GLP-1 medications are already widely used by millions of Americans."Ultimately, we want to find better options to prevent breast cancer," McDonald said. "It's been encouraging to see the survival rates for breast cancer improve over recent decades, and we'd love to see the same gains in prevention."GLP-1 Shows Promise For Multiple CancersAnother study by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic suggested that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications may help slow the spread of several obesity-related cancers, including lung, breast, colorectal and liver cancers.The researchers found that across six of the seven malignancies studied, GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure was associated with reduced metastatic progression, with significant reductions observed in non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma.The study included 12,112 patients with obesity-related cancers ranging from stage 1 to stage 3. Half of the participants began taking a GLP-1 medication after their cancer diagnosis, while the remaining participants were treated with DPP-4 inhibitors, commonly known as "gliptins", a different class of diabetes medications.The comparison showed that patients who took GLP-1 medications had a substantially lower progression to stage 4 disease across four cancer types."Our study found that use of GLP-1 drugs, compared to DPP-4 inhibitors and other antidiabetic drugs, was associated with a meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types," said study author Mark David Orland from the Taussig Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic.Breast Cancer SymptomsRecognizing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer can help ensure a prompt diagnosis. Breast cancer can cause a wide array of symptoms, including:Pain in the breastA lump or thickening of tissue in the breast or underarmAn unexplained change in the size or shape of the breastSuddenly asymmetrical breastsIrritation in the breast skinRedness or warmth in the breast skinA change in the texture of the breast skin (often featuring a thick, pitted appearance resembling an orange peel).

ozempic-like weight-loss drugs may cut breast cancer risk by a third, finds research

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