Jab for joy.
Researchers have discovered that semaglutide weight loss drugs like Ozempic may reduce the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) in diabetes patients.
Colon cancer has long been associated with older adults, especially people over 65. However, colorectal cancer rates have been steadily increasing among adults under 50 since the ’90s.
Inspired by the troubling trend, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2021 to lower the recommended age to start screening from 50 to 45 for adults at average risk.
On Sunday, Dawson’s Creek start James Van Der Beek announced his colorectal cancer diagnosis at age 47.
In a study presented last month at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting, researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland analyzed data from nearly 2 million patients.
These patients were all under 50, had type 2 diabetes, and had no prior colorectal diagnosis.
Type 2 diabetes — which affects more than 34 million Americans — occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin well, resulting in high blood sugar.
Among this analyzed population, patients who were prescribed a semaglutide medication tended to be older, female, and white, with a higher BMI (36.78 versus 30.62) than those who were not taking these medicines.
A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese, while a BMI of 40 or higher has been deemed severely obese.
Researchers determined that those who took semaglutide had significantly lower chances of developing colorectal cancer than those who did not, 0.4% versus 0.7%.
The study authors note that “future randomized controlled studies are needed to validate these findings, which may have significant implications for CRC prevention in younger patients.”
Oncologists have attributed the disturbing rise in youth cases of colorectal cancer to a sedentary lifestyle, the Western diet, excess sugar consumption, and environmental factors such as pollutants in the air, soil, and water.
Earlier this year, researchers found that Type 2 diabetes patients could significantly lower their risk for ten obesity-related cancers, including colorectal, if they took Ozempic instead of insulin to manage the disease.
Additionally, recent studies have shown drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic may help fight kidney disease and could be beneficial in preventing and treating substance abuse.
In March, Wegovy was approved to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and other serious cardiovascular problems in patients who are overweight or obese.
Preliminary research has also suggested that semaglutide may protect against neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, meaning drugs like Ozempic could potentially guard against Alzheimer’s.
Last week, a large-scale study revealed that medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can seriously reduce knee pain for those with moderate to severe osteoarthritis.
