Weight loss jabs have become increasingly popular, with many people opting for it. However, something that has been highlighted is the unexpected side-effects of the medication. New research shows that a popular group of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists might cause problems when doctors read certain cancer scans, known as FDG PET-CT scans. These drugs are widely prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes and those trying to lose weight. This is a big deal because the use of these weight-loss and diabetes drugs has grown extremely fast, for example, use in the U.S. jumped by a huge 700% between 2019 and 2023. This important new finding was recently announced at a major medical meeting, the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine. How Do Weight Loss Jabs Affect Scan Results? GLP-1 receptor agonists change a few things inside the body: they affect how the body uses sugar, how quickly the stomach moves food, and even activity in the nervous system. Because of these changes, the medications can create unusual patterns on the PET-CT scan. This scan works by tracking a sugar-like substance called FDG. Doctors had previously noticed that this FDG tracker was gathering more than usual in places like body muscles, the heart muscle, and a type of fat called brown fat. When doctors see a bright spot like this on a scan, they might mistakenly think it is a sign of cancer or a serious swelling or infection. How Did The Researchers Identify The Problem? A team of doctors from Alliance Medical Ltd. looked back at the FDG PET-CT scans of cancer patients who were taking GLP-1 agonists. They confirmed that they were seeing many abnormal spots where the tracer gathered. This means that if the doctor reading the scan doesn't know the patient is taking a GLP-1 drug, they could easily misread the picture as a sign of disease. Dr. Peter Strouhal, the lead researcher, explained that the problem became so noticeable in their hospitals that it led them to start a formal study. He said, "We found that these altered patterns are increasingly common, yet there is currently no official set of rules in the UK or internationally addressing this emerging issue." Danger of Wrong Interpretations When doctors misread these scan patterns, it can lead to very serious problems for the patient. A wrong interpretation could result in: Extra, unnecessary tests and procedures that the patient doesn't need.Incorrectly determining how far the cancer has spread (called staging the cancer).Delays in starting the correct cancer treatment the patient needs. Dr. Strouhal stressed that it's crucial to recognize the specific patterns caused by GLP-1 agonists. By knowing these patterns, doctors can avoid causing patients needless worry and extra medical procedures, making sure people receive the right care, at the right time, without unnecessary delays. What Doctors Should Do Now For now, the researchers are not advising patients to stop taking their GLP-1 agonists before having a PET-CT scan. Instead, their most important advice is for the medical teams to record the patient’s complete list of medications very carefully. This information is critical and must be shared with the doctors who examine and analyze the scan. While official rules in the UK are still being developed, guidelines in Australia suggest the following steps: Patients should keep taking the GLP-1 drug.They should fast (not eat) starting at midnight before the scan.Scans should be done in the morning.Their blood sugar levels must be well-controlled.The research group plans to gather information from many more imaging centers to create a stronger base of evidence. They also want to work with other countries to establish shared, international rules so that patients everywhere receive reliable and accurate PET-CT scan results.
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