At the recent Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium hosted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), researchers and doctors shared new findings, many about colorectal cancer treatments. Experts expect more than 150,000 new cases and over 50,000 deaths from colorectal cancer this year.
One study from The University of Texas San Antonio found encouraging results for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs. These drugs have become popular for helping people with obesity lose weight and are also used for diabetes and sleep apnea.
The researchers wanted to see if GLP-1 RAs could help prevent colorectal cancer. They compared how often colorectal cancer occurred in people who took GLP-1 RAs with those who took aspirin, which has been recommended in the past for people at high risk.
They analyzed medical records from 281,656 patients, dividing them into two groups: one group took GLP-1 RAs, and the other took aspirin. Both groups had similar characteristics and health conditions.
The study found that 0.13% of people using GLP-1 RAs developed colorectal cancer, compared to 0.176% of aspirin users. This means GLP-1 RAs were linked to a 26% lower risk. The benefit showed up at both 12 and 36 months, and semaglutide drugs, a type of GLP-1 RA, seemed especially helpful.
With colorectal cancer cases on the rise, these results could make a big difference for public health. The findings give a strong reason to do more research and confirm the results with randomized clinical trials.
The lead author, Colton Jones, MD, said, “Compared to aspirin, GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Although their benefit was small compared to aspirin, GLP-1 receptor agonists could still make a big difference in overall public health because so many people could potentially take them safely. While these results are not a recommendation to switch medications, they highlight a potential added benefit of GLP-1 receptor agonists that should be explored further in clinical trials.”
The study's abstract was also published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Sources: CA Cancer J Clin, ASCO, NEJM, J Clin Oncol
