Medication for weight loss, like Ozempic and Wegovy, may lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
According to research, some type 2 diabetes medications used for weight loss may also help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Diabetes and obesity both increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Reducing the risk of colorectal cancer can be achieved by controlling diabetes, getting regular screenings, and maintaining a healthy weight. A recent study published in the journal JAMA Oncology suggests that a class of type 2 diabetes medications, which includes weight loss medications like Wegovy and Ozempic, may also help prevent colorectal cancer. By reducing blood sugar, boosting insulin production, and delaying stomach emptying, these medications—known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs—help control diabetes and promote weight loss, according to research. Case Western Reserve University researchers were interested in seeing if these medications could lower the risk of colorectal cancer because obesity and diabetes are risk factors for the disease, which is the second leading cause of death from all cancers and the third most common type among adults in the US. Over a 15-year period of study data, the researchers found that individuals treated with GLP-1 RAs had a 44 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer than other type 2 diabetics receiving insulin treatment.
Furthermore, the GLP-1 RA treatment group exhibited a 25% reduced risk of colorectal cancer in comparison to the metformin treatment group. According to Dr. Daniel Landau, a medical oncologist, internal medicine specialist, hematologist, and expert contributor for The Mesothelioma Center in Florida who was not involved in the study, the precise cause of diabetes’s significant risk for colorectal cancer is still unknown. Theories include the following: excessive tissue exposure to endogenous sugars fosters an environment in which cancers can grow; diabetes frequently coexists with other risk factors like obesity; and inflammation is linked to cancer. How well diabetes treatment reduces the elevated risk of cancers has not been well-established, Landau told Medical News Today. Since the discovery of GLP1-Ras, there has been evidence to suggest that these treatments may be superior to other medications in lowering the risk of colorectal cancer in diabetic patients. Landau hypothesized that these specific drugs may be more effective at causing weight loss and that their longer-acting nature may contribute to their superior efficacy when it comes to preventing colorectal cancer when compared to other type 2 diabetes medications. Dr. Wael Harb, a hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute, stated that the study offers a potentially revolutionary breakthrough in understanding the connection between diabetes treatment and cancer prevention.
I find these preliminary results encouraging as a physician in the biopharma industry,” Harb told Medical News Today. It’s important to stress that these are preliminary findings, and before they are taken into consideration for clinical application, they must be validated through larger, more thorough studies. Dr. The study’s findings, according to Anton Bilchik, a surgical oncologist, chief of medicine, and director of the Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Program at Saint John’s Cancer Institute in California, are significant and thought-provoking not only for their possible application but also for their ability to advance our knowledge of colorectal cancer in general. According to Bilchik, who did not participate in the study, these medications are being used more frequently because of their significant impact on weight loss, Medical News Today reported. Scientists may be able to learn more about the cause of colorectal cancer if this study results in a decrease in the disease’s development through independent mechanisms. The greatest strategy to lower your risk of colorectal cancer, regardless of medication use, is to prevent type 2 diabetes and obesity, maintain a healthy weight, and schedule routine checkups with your doctor. According to estimates, roughly two-thirds of U. S. Adults either have obesity or are overweight. The American Cancer Society estimates that there are over 52,000 deaths and approximately 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year.
The third most common cancer in the world and in the United States is colorectal cancer. S. Dr. Misagh Karimi, a medical oncologist at the City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center in California who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, stated that rates are rising among those under the age of 50. Karimi, who was not involved in the new study, told Medical News Today that eating a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, being physically active, limiting alcohol consumption, and not smoking tobacco are all important ways to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. It’s critical to follow your doctor’s recommendation and get screened for colorectal cancer because early detection can make a huge difference.
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