How are one class of diabetes drugs related to cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs originally developed to treat diabetes but have been shown to be helpful for weight loss. Now a new study looks at whether their use reduces the risk of obesity related cancers. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, explains.

Nelson: GLP one receptor agonist use is going up and up the risks for cancers associated with obesity also seems to be going up and appearing in younger age groups. There's already a little bit of a hint that when these drugs are taken for obesity not for diabetes they may impact the risk of obesity related cancers. They tried to find non diabetic patients that were obese, BMI greater than 30, that had had no history of cancer between 2014 that's really when these drugs start to be used for obesity and 2025.  :34

Nelson says the study does seem to show a benefit. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.