A groundbreaking international study led by Bahamian researcher Dr. Colton Jones has revealed that medications commonly prescribed for diabetes and weight management may significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The research, which represents the first large-scale comparative analysis of its kind, demonstrates that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) outperform aspirin in preventive efficacy while presenting a more favorable safety profile.
The comprehensive investigation, scheduled for presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, examined health records of over 281,000 participants sourced from TriNetX, a commercial database encompassing 150 million patients across 106 healthcare organizations. The cohort, with an average age of 58 and comprising nearly 70% women, was divided between GLP-1 users and aspirin recipients.
Research findings indicate that individuals administered GLP-1 medications experienced a 36% reduction in colorectal cancer incidence compared to those using aspirin. This protective effect proved even more pronounced among high-risk populations with personal or family history of the disease, reaching nearly 42% risk reduction.
Dr. Jones, a cancer fellow and researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center, emphasized the clinical significance of these findings: ‘While aspirin has demonstrated modest preventive benefits, its associated bleeding risks have limited widespread adoption for cancer prevention. GLP-1 receptor agonists, already extensively utilized for metabolic conditions, may offer a dual therapeutic advantage by addressing both metabolic control and oncological risk mitigation.’
The study further revealed superior safety outcomes for GLP-1 medications, with users experiencing fewer instances of acute kidney injury, gastric ulcers, and gastrointestinal bleeding compared to aspirin recipients. However, gastrointestinal side effects including diarrhea and abdominal pain were more frequently reported among GLP-1 users.
Notably, the protective benefits were most substantial among participants who initiated treatment before age 45 and were observed irrespective of obesity or diabetes status. Tobacco users and individuals with atherosclerotic disease did not demonstrate significant risk reduction. Among the specific medications analyzed, semaglutide, liraglutide, and dulaglutide showed considerable efficacy, while tirzepatide did not demonstrate comparable benefits.
Despite the modest individual benefit requiring approximately 2,000 person-treatments to prevent one cancer case, researchers highlighted the substantial public health implications given that approximately 6% of adults currently use GLP-1 medications. Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, with approximately 150,000 diagnoses and over 50,000 fatalities recorded in 2025.
Dr. Jones characterized the research as a milestone achievement for Bahamian science, noting that clinical trials will be necessary to further validate these observational findings and establish definitive clinical guidelines.