GLP-1 Drugs like Wegovy May Help Stave Off Some Cancers
Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have transformed treatment for obesity and diabetes. Now researchers are excited about their potential impact on other conditions, including addiction and sleep apnea — and even cancer.
Scientists see this class of drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, as a breakthrough because of how they act on the brain to regulate the body’s hormones, slow digestion, and tamp down hunger. And in several recent studies, they show early promise in preventing many common cancers — including breast, colon, liver, and ovarian — known to be driven by obesity and excess weight.
“It's a hopeful story, which is, frankly, what people need,” says Arif Kamal, an oncologist specializing in breast cancer as well as chief patient officer at the American Cancer Society.
