It would be interesting to compare the anxiolytic effects of the drug versus the cancer anxiety caused by being on the drug.
The cancer anxiety could be reduced by frequent testing. e.g., having a thyroid ultrasound every 6 months, or a yearly abdominal MRI, just to make sure cancer is not brewing.
There's no evidence that GLP-1s cause cancer in any meaningful amount, but obesity definitely does. Either way the only cancer they found any correlation to was thyroid which is one of the most treatable -- over 99% survival rates.
There's no causative relationship. There is a correlation in some studies. This is not the same thing. Beyond that, some studies have found a very weak association and some have found no association at all. To say with this corpus of evidence they cause anything is very premature.
This 2024 study showed no increase in risk over 3.9 years.
The cancer anxiety could be reduced by frequent testing. e.g., having a thyroid ultrasound every 6 months, or a yearly abdominal MRI, just to make sure cancer is not brewing.