The list of benefits tied to GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound keeps growing. A new study shared by ScienceDaily found that certain GLP-1s may also help shrink breast cancer tumors. In the study, obese mice with breast cancer were treated with tirzepatide, the active ingredient in both drugs. Not only did the mice lose about 20 percent of their body weight, but researchers also observed a significant reduction in tumor size.
A new study out of the University of Michigan suggests that losing weight and reducing body fat may help slow the growth of breast cancer, especially when obesity is a factor. “This study shows that GLP-1 drugs might do more than improve metabolic health. They could also influence how tumors grow,” said lead author Madison DiNardo, a PhD candidate.
For the study, researchers gave 16 mice either tirzepatide or a placebo while keeping them on a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. The mice treated with tirzepatide showed slower tumor growth and had less fat surrounding the tumors. The team is now working with the University of North Carolina to figure out whether the drug is acting on the tumors directly or if the results are just a side effect of weight loss.
The research is still early, but it adds to the growing list of reasons scientists are paying close attention to GLP-1 drugs and where they might go next.
