Home / Health / GLP-1 Drugs Slash Colon Cancer Deaths by Over 50%, Study Finds
GLP-1 Drugs Slash Colon Cancer Deaths by Over 50%, Study Finds
13 Nov
Summary
- GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro cut colon cancer deaths by more than half
- 15.5% of colon cancer patients on GLP-1 drugs died within 5 years vs. 37.1% not on the drugs
- GLP-1 drugs may prevent cancer cell growth and trigger cancer cell death
According to a study published on November 13, 2025, colon cancer patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro were less than half as likely to die within 5 years compared to those not on the medications. The analysis of over 6,800 colon cancer patients revealed that only 15.5% of those on GLP-1 drugs died within 5 years, in contrast to 37.1% of patients not taking the weight-loss medications.
The findings, published in the journal Cancer Investigation, suggest GLP-1 drugs may help reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity, which could explain the link to lower mortality rates. Lead author Raphael Cuomo also noted that lab studies indicate the drugs may directly prevent cancer cell growth and trigger cancer cell death.
However, Cuomo stated that more research is needed to determine whether the survival benefit is a direct effect of the GLP-1 drugs or an indirect result of better metabolic health. Experts say the results are promising and warrant further investigation into the potential cancer-fighting properties of this class of diabetes medications.
