The heightened risk for liver cancer associated with type 2 diabetes may be reduced by treatment with a newer class of diabetes medications known as GLP-1 agonists, such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, a large study has found.
In the five-year study of nearly 1.9 million patients receiving various treatments for type 2 diabetes, the GLP-1s were associated with an 80% lower risk of a new diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with insulin treatment, the researchers estimated.
People with diabetes have a two to four-fold higher risk of developing liver cancer than those without diabetes, even when other risk factors are considered, earlier research has shown.
Among patients in the study who were not receiving insulin, the GLP-1 drugs were linked with a 61% lower risk of HCC compared with sulfonylurea drugs such as glipizide and glyburide, and a 37% lower risk compared with metformin.
Patients in the study were taking a variety of GLP-1 treatments including semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Novo's popular weight-loss drug Wegovy.
The drugs were also associated with a significantly lower risk of a form of acute liver failure known as hepatic decompensation.
Researchers reported their results on Monday in Gastroenterology.
The reduced risks were seen in patients with and without fatty liver diseases, obesity, and alcohol or tobacco use disorders, according to the report.
Observational studies such as this one cannot prove cause and effect. But based on the results, studies are warranted to confirm the value of using GLP-1 for HCC prevention, the research team said.
Read more about GLP-1 agonists on Reuters.com
