A new study has found that popular weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are GLP-1 agonists, can affect the results of cancer scans, potentially making it more difficult to diagnose cancer.
Experts from the European diagnostic center Alliance Medical analyzed oncological PET-CT images using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) from patients taking GLP-1 agonists. Typically, “hot spots” on the scan help identify diseased cells, but patients on these drugs observed unusual patterns of FDG accumulation.
Alliance Medical's medical director, Dr Peter Strougal, said the first case of unusual FDG uptake prompted a wider review. It was found that such changes were occurring more frequently, but there were no formal recommendations on this in the UK or internationally.
Misinterpretation of scan results can lead to unnecessary tests, misstaged cancer, and delays in patient treatment.
Researchers advise doctors to carefully record information about taking GLP-1 drugs to avoid diagnostic errors and ensure timely and accurate medical care.
It is important for patients taking Ozempic or Wegovy to inform their doctors about these medications before undergoing PET-CT and other oncological examinations to avoid unnecessary interventions and diagnostic errors.
