Weight loss drugs reduce risk of breast cancer by up to 30%

One study found that women who took GLP-1 drugs were about 30% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did not use them. The analysis was based on data from more than 110 thousand women aged 45 to 80 years. Another study of 27,000 breast cancer patients in Italy found that combining standard treatment with weight-loss drugs was associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of death from the disease. The third work, carried out by the Cleveland Clinic, covered about 12 thousand patients with various types of cancer – breast, lung, colon and liver. The scientists found that people taking GLP-1 drugs were 38% to 50% less likely to have progressed to stage 4 disease.

Drugs in this class mimic the hormone GLP-1, which regulates appetite and blood sugar levels. They were originally created to treat type 2 diabetes, but later they became widespread as weight loss aids. The possible anti-cancer effect may not only be due to weight loss, the researchers say. Scientists suggest that the drugs also reduce chronic inflammation and influence biological processes involved in tumor growth.