- New
research has concluded that drugs from the glucagon-like peptide-1
receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) class do not increase the risk of pancreatic
cancer.
- There
had been concerns about these drugs because they’re prescribed to treat
type 2 diabetes, a condition associated with pancreatic cancer.
- Drugs
from this class are effective at treating both type 2 diabetes and weight
loss when combined with lifestyle changes.
- Experts
say anyone considering the use of these drugs should consult with their
physician.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) – a class of drugs prescribed to
treat type 2 diabetes and obesity – have seen a
surge of popularity in recent years.
In a study. published in the
medical journal JAMA, researchers analyzed a wide population of people
with type 2 diabetes and reported that GLP-1RA drugs do not increase the risk
of pancreatic cancer compared to basal insulin over a 7-year period.
They said this is an
important finding as type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of most cancers.
The study’s lead author
told Medical News Today that this data should help doctors and
patients alike to make informed choices when treating type 2 diabetes – and the
implications for people with obesity are significant as well.
No
evidence for increased risk of pancreatic cancer
Dr. Rachel Dankner of the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy
Research at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel led the study.
She told Medical
News Today that her earlier research showed a strong correlation
between type 2 diabetes and most cancers, particularly liver cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Because of this, it was
especially important to know if drugs commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes –
like those in the GLP-1RA class – might help explain the association.
“We were especially
interested to reveal if there is any association between the incretines like
DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs and pancreatic cancer, since early on, when these
drugs were just released, there were concerns that they may be associated
with pancreatitis and
with pancreatic cancer,” Dankner explained.
Because the GLP-1RA
class is relatively new, researchers don’t have decades of data to draw from.
However, Dankner and her colleagues did analyze a large population of nearly
half a million adults with type 2 diabetes, with a follow-up period of 7 years.
“When you embark on a
study with a new question, you try to stay objective and not to expect positive
or negative findings,” she said. “Nevertheless, we were happy to find no
association between these very important medications and a very aggressive
cancer that is causing a lot of suffering and a very high mortality rate. We
were also relieved to find out that this association persisted when we
accounted for past history of pancreatitis, which is an important risk factor
for pancreatic cancer.”
This finding was particularly
important, Dankner said, because physicians often avoid prescribing GLP-1RAs to
people with a history of pancreatitis.
GLP-1RA
drugs: What to know
Various types of GLP-1RA
have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including exenatide,
liraglutide, albiglutide, dulaglutide, lixisenatide, semaglutide, and
tirzepatide.
These names might be
unfamiliar, but the brand names they’re sold under – such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy,
and Mounjaro –
are quickly becoming household names.
Dr. Mir Ali,
a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss
Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in California, outlined some of the ways
in which the drugs work.
“The observation was
made that patients taking these medications would lose weight,” Ali, who was
not involved in the study, told Medical News Today. “Patients feel
less hungry because these drugs slow the emptying of the stomach, so they feel
full for longer.”
Ali said that while
these drugs have been on the market for some time, they’ve really gained in
popularity in the past few years – a factor that’s led to shortages as
manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand.
For those who are
prescribed a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it’s important to note that they’ll be
most effective when combined with lifestyle changes.
“We as physicians really
require the patient to change to a healthier lifestyle and those are the patients
who are most successful,” Ali said. “So medication helps, but if the patient
fails to make the right food choices, they may not see the expected results. Or
if they go back to the old ways after stopping the medication, they may regain
weight. So these medications are more like chronic treatment, like we treat
high blood pressure or diabetes.”
Ali points out that
while most side effects of these medications are relatively mild, it’s still
important that anyone considering these drugs consult with a physician.
“Endocrine conditions
and relatively rare thyroid conditions have a contraindication to take these
medications, so patients definitely need to start with their primary doctors if
they fall into any of these categories,” he said.
Implications
of the type 2 diabetes drug study
Dankner says that more
data will help researchers better understand the factors at play beyond the
initial 7-year follow-up period.
However, she noted that
the data published this week should help guide physicians when prescribing
medications from the GLP-1RA class.
“These medications are
proven excellent for weight reduction and weight control, and since obesity is
such a huge problem, especially in diabetic patients, these medications not
only treat hyperglycemia, but also obesity, which makes them a great choice
when treating a diabetic patient with obesity,” she explained.
No comments:
Post a Comment