Starting Mounjaro . Cancer risks?

[RIRO30]

Hi guys

i really want to start Mounjaro I want to order this week before the price increases so I get the first pen with the now prices
I have done research but I am not the best at researching things please help!

my BMI is classed as obese. I have a BMI of 32
I am 77kg and would potentially like to loose 5 - 10 kg. I just had twins at the beginning of the year and I have no time to strictly focus on going to the gym as I’m always busy with them!
I just want to loose my baby weight and fit into my old clothes !! Ha

anyway my worry is, is there cancer risks of Mounjaro ?
I had a tumour removed from my ovary in 2023 and it has been classed as ‘Unknown potential’ so professionals don’t know if it was to turn cancer or not. It had many biopsies and I had my ovary removed and biopsied. All fluid around the area biopsied - No cancerous cells found, but it was a tumour. I have to have 6 monthly MRI’s and ultrasounds to keep an eye on my body to make sure no tumour returns. Of course I have had no return of this tumour.
They are also keeping eye on me as this tumour is so rare they don’t have much studies on it
Anyway, I read something that if you have history of thyroid tumours you cannot take it?
am I being silly and over thinking about the tumour that I had?
Let me know your opinion. THank you

I think you should talk to a dr about it.

Not overthinking at all. I'd speak to your GP before even considering it

Any doctor that I speak about the tumour I had - they don’t know much to say to be honest! It’s pretty annoying. As the tumour is so rare and only small about of cases of this tumour they do not know much themself. It wasn’t cancerous , but has an unknown potential apparently. so that why I am being scanned so often as it is for there own research too. I don’t see my doctor until end of October, but I think I know her answer already, ‘I’m not sure’ like everything else has been regarding this tumour!

On the news today the company has asked uk pharmacies to stop placing orders until the new prices come in so I doubt you'll get it until next week unfortunately. It's been a hell of a week!

www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr8ynx41yo.amp

There’s no known general increased risk of cancer associated with Mounjaro usage. There was one study of rodents (rats?) where they were given huge overdoses continually throughout their lifespan, and some then developed some specific thyroid tumours. So if you have a family or personal history of those specific thyroid cancers then caution is advised. But that doesn’t apply to you. So it’s really just looking whether the known risks of taking Mounjaro are outweighed by the health benefits of losing weight and no longer being obese. That’s a decision only you can make for yourself.

At the moment the only tumour-related contraindication is thyroid tumours which you haven’t had.

being obese is known to increase the incidence of many different types of cancer so losing weight and getting your bmi to under 25 will reduce your risk of developing numerous cancers.

However, this is a relatively new medicine so the long term risks are unknown.

as per pp you need to disclose your medical history in detail to the prescribers who should carefully consider whether you are a suitable candidate

how do I disclose this to an online pharmacy? I’ve done it with med express after I answer all the questions it allows me to buy.

Med express has an option (iirc - I buy from them) to ask for help. You’re allowed to buy now as a history of ovarian tumours aren’t a known issue : but you could take the extra step to ask the ME medical team to review? I think the issue is that as it’s new, no one (including most probably your gynaecologist / oncologist / GP) can definitely assure you it will be 100% fine. You need to weigh up known health risks (obesity) against possible unknown health risks (MJ encouraging tumour growth).

I think in your situation, if you’re worried maybe work with a GP led pharmacy rather than a large company like medexpress.

Pharmulous and Swift Dr are both great pharmacies and you can speak to a GP rather than a customer service person.

What kind of tumour did you have? Was it a teratoma? If it wasn't a cancerous tumour was it benign or a cyst?
I'd contact your GP. Other than the thyroid tumour risk in patients more susceptible to it, mounjaro has actually shown positive benefits in studies for cancer and its protection, but we dont know the specifics of what tumour they studied and your medical history is super important, so some time to get it clear is really important.

No lovely, the name of the tumour I had is called GLI1 rerranged mesenchymal tumour. It is a ‘newly classified’ tumour which they do not have much research on. It got biopsied by so many different hospitals in the UK and everyone was so unsure of it. It didn’t show any cancerous cells but they are not sure of the potential of the tumour as with the small studies they have some have been cancerous and some have not. Yup.. only me 😅 so I’m predicting when I ask my doctor about the mounjaro she is only going to tell me she is not sure. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thank you. I’ll have a look x

Yes! Thank you xx

Ah that's interesting. I'm a manager in a histology lab in the nhs, so interested in it. I've studied a lot about tumours for my job but never heard of it so it must be rare.
Mesenchymal just means functional tissue so sounds like different functional tissue than they expected in that tumour but not malignant.
Make sure you mention it in your application to your pharmacy. The only thing that may matter is if its a hormonally influenced tumour due to it being ovarian and with weight loss the oestrogen in your fat is released and goes into bloodstream but then that's just with fat loss not specific to mounjaro.
Hope you get the answers you need!

Ahh thank you! Yup all doctors that I see do not know much about this tumour 🤣 they removed the ovary it grew on also, few months later I fell pregnant with twins!
Ive had a recent MRI and ultrasound with good results, as my oncologist wasn’t sure if pregnancy could help tumour growth.
im reading a lot of stories now from other ladies, one taking mounjaro while actually receiving chemo! I have an appointment and ultrasound in October so I can speak to my doctor then I suppose 😊

Aw lovely news about the twins..see miracles work in many ways, you didn't need that other ovary!
I wish you well for your health. Take it easy and look after yourself and your family 💕