Research
GLP-1 drugs show lower obesity-related cancer risk than insulin, but not all diabetes treatments
The Brief
- GLP-1 receptor agonists are associated with a lower obesity-related cancer risk than insulin, according to the reported findings.
- The reported difference applies to GLP-1 drugs specifically; not all diabetes treatments show the same lower risk.
Why it matters
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are linked to several cancers, so the choice of diabetes medication may matter for long-term cancer risk.
Who’s affected
- clinicians and researchers in diabetes, obesity and oncology
- patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes
Years of research point to obesity and type 2 diabetes raising the risk of developing several types of cancer. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), a recent medical breakthrough, were originally developed for blood sugar control or diabetes management and also…