Weight-Loss Drugs Including Ozempic & Wegovy May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk by 30%
A groundbreaking new study is causing a stir in the medical community. It suggests that popular weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound may not only aid in weight loss but could also significantly lower the risk of breast cancer.
The research, which analyzed electronic health records from 111,646 women aged 45 to 80 within the Penn Medicine health system, discovered that those taking GLP-1 medications had approximately 30% lower odds of developing breast cancer compared to non-users. These findings were presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and simultaneously published in JCO Oncology Practice.
In a matched cohort analysis, where GLP-1 users were paired with non-users of similar age, BMI, race, ethnicity, and breast density, it was found that 1.62% of GLP-1 users were diagnosed with breast cancer, compared to 2.31% of non-users. The researchers suggest that multiple biological mechanisms could be at play, including reduced inflammation and altered metabolic pathways linked to cancer development.
“While our study was observational and does not definitively confirm an association between GLP-1 medications and reduced breast cancer incidence, it does add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that it’s worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools,” said lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth McDonald, a professor of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The results have already prompted a new clinical trial to investigate further.
Source: U.S. News & World Report – GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic May Lower Breast Cancer Risk By About 30%