A class of drugs widely used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes may also improve survival outcomes for breast cancer patients, according to a recent study reported by Healthline. The research found that GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro were associated with a lower risk of mortality and cancer recurrence in patients who had breast cancer alongside obesity or related metabolic conditions.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, and patients who have it alongside obesity or type 2 diabetes tend to face worse outcomes than those without those conditions. As GLP-1 drugs have become increasingly widespread, researchers have begun examining whether the medications might affect cancer outcomes beyond their known effects on weight and blood sugar.
The lead study author, Kristina L. Tatum, PsyD, MS, an instructor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the School of Public Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, described the challenges this patient group often faces. "[Breast cancer] patients with obesity or pre-existing type 2 diabetes often face more complex breast cancer journeys," she said.
Tatum said the study's results gave the research team reason for cautious optimism. "Our findings are encouraging because they suggest that GLP-1RA use may be associated with improved survival and lower recurrence among these patients," she told Healthline. She added that the observational nature of the study means direct cause and effect cannot be established. "While causation cannot be confirmed from this observational study, the findings provide important data for clinicians and patients with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes to consider as we continue to learn more about the possibilities of GLP-1RA therapies in breast cancer survivorship," she said.
The biological connection between obesity and breast cancer may help explain the findings. Overweight and obesity are established cancer risk factors, and fat tissue produces estrogen, which can promote certain breast cancer subtypes. Amy Bremner, MD, a breast surgical oncologist and medical director of breast surgical oncology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, who was not involved in the study, said the mechanism is well understood. "We know that obesity is well-established as an obesity-associated cancer risk factor. Fat produces estrogen, which promotes certain breast cancer subtypes. By reducing body weight and fat mass, this could potentially reduce recurrence risk," she told Healthline.
GLP-1 drugs have become a significant part of the American medical landscape. About 1 in 8 U.S. adults have used one of these medications at some point, including 40 percent of people with diabetes and 25 percent with heart disease. That broad reach has made the broader health effects of the drug class a growing area of scientific interest.
Study co-author Bernard F. Fuemmeler, PhD, MPH, a professor and the Gordon D. Ginder, MD Chair in Cancer Research, said the team plans to continue the work. "They tell us there is a story here with GLP1 RAs and cancer survivor outcomes that deserves more attention," he told Healthline.
The study was published in a peer-reviewed journal, though all researchers involved noted that further investigation is needed before any clinical conclusions can be drawn.
