Two recent studies have highlighted potential cancer benefits from different pharmaceutical treatments, offering new insights into drug applications beyond their primary purposes.

Researchers from Penn Medicine found that women taking GLP-1 drugs, commonly prescribed for weight loss and diabetes management, showed lower rates of breast cancer diagnosis compared to those not taking the medications. The study adds to growing research on additional health benefits of these widely-prescribed drugs.

Separately, research on pancreatic cancer treatment has shown promising survival rate improvements with a specific medication. The drug gained attention earlier this year when former Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska disclosed he was using it to treat his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

According to reports from April, Sasse told the New York Times that the treatment had reduced the volume of tumors in his torso by 76%. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most challenging cancers to treat, with historically low survival rates.

Both studies represent ongoing efforts to identify new applications for existing medications and improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients. The research comes as pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers continue investigating whether drugs developed for one condition may provide benefits for other diseases.