Last updated: November 3, 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist. Do not stop, start or change any medication, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or other GLP-1 drugs, based on this article. If you have questions about your medication, speak with the clinician who prescribed it. If you have a new or changing spot on your skin, have it checked by a doctor.
Quick answer: Current research does not show that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic (semaglutide) raise the risk of melanoma. A large 2026 study of adults with type 2 diabetes, with about 236,000 and 154,000 matched pairs in its two comparisons, found no increase in melanoma risk with GLP-1 drugs compared with two other types of diabetes medication. It found a small, borderline signal for non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma) in one comparison, which disappeared after the researchers corrected for likely bias (Tang et al., 2026). Most studies have short follow-up, so long-term effects are still being studied. Regular skin checks matter whether or not you take a GLP-1 drug.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are medications that mimic a natural gut hormone (glucagon-like peptide-1) to help control blood sugar, reduce appetite and support weight loss. Common examples available in Canada include:
These drugs have become very widely used. In a February 2026 Leger online survey of 1,536 Canadian adults, 8% said they take a prescription GLP-1 drug, which Leger extrapolated to about three million Canadian adults (CP24 / Canadian Press, March 2026). That's an estimate from an online poll, not an official count.
With so many people taking them, it makes sense that people are asking about long-term safety, including skin cancer.
There is no good evidence that Ozempic or other GLP-1 drugs cause melanoma, and the evidence for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is reassuring but not final. Here's what the research shows so far.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University published the largest study so far on GLP-1 drugs and skin cancer in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism in 2026 (Tang et al., 2026). It was a "target trial emulation", which uses health records to mimic a clinical trial as closely as possible.
How the study worked:
What it found for melanoma:
Both confidence intervals include 1.0, which means no statistically significant difference. No subgroup showed a significant melanoma association. The authors concluded that GLP-1 drug use "was not associated with an increased risk of melanoma."
What does a hazard ratio mean? A hazard ratio compares how often something happens in one group vs another over time. A value of 1.0 means no difference. A value above 1.0 suggests higher risk, and below 1.0 lower risk. If the range (the 95% confidence interval) crosses 1.0, the result isn't statistically significant.
The same study found a small, borderline signal for non-melanoma skin cancer in one comparison, but it disappeared after the researchers corrected for likely bias. Non-melanoma skin cancer mostly means basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (Tang et al., 2026).
The authors described the non-melanoma signal as small, inconsistent between comparisons and likely to reflect leftover bias. They called the overall findings reassuring for short-term skin safety and said longer-term monitoring is needed.
One subgroup stood out: in the comparison with DPP-4 inhibitors, people in the "other" race and ethnicity group (which combined Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and unknown) had a hazard ratio of 1.25 (1.07–1.45) for non-melanoma skin cancer. Hispanic, non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black patients showed no significant increase. Subgroup findings like this can happen by chance and need confirming in other studies (Tang et al., 2026).
Basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma weren't analyzed separately, because the diagnosis codes in health records don't reliably tell them apart (Tang et al., 2026).
The authors listed several limitations (Tang et al., 2026):
Reviews that pool randomized trials have not found a clear increase in overall cancer risk with GLP-1 drugs, although they mostly don't report skin cancer separately.
Other 2026 reports: some conference abstracts and smaller studies have reported mixed results. For example, an ASCO 2026 abstract was titled "Liraglutide may be associated with increased skin cancer risk" (ASCO 2026 abstract). Conference abstracts are early, short reports that haven't gone through full peer review, so they should be read with caution until full results are published.
The cancer warning on Ozempic and similar drugs is about thyroid tumours, not skin cancer. Ozempic's Canadian product monograph includes a serious warning that semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumours in rats and mice. It is unknown whether this happens in humans. Ozempic should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) (Ozempic Product Monograph).
The version of the monograph we reviewed (originally approved in 2018) does not mention skin cancer or melanoma. If you have questions about any warning on your medication, ask your pharmacist or prescriber.
Most of the concern comes from the huge number of people now taking these drugs, early mixed study signals and the fact that skin cancer is very common anyway.
Your main skin cancer risk factors are the same whether or not you take a GLP-1 drug. Patient.info's professional reference lists the main risk factors for melanoma (Patient.info):
If several of these apply to you, regular skin checks are worth discussing with your doctor, whatever medications you take.
The same sun-safety and skin-check habits apply to everyone.
Sun protection (Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation) (CDA fact sheet):
For more tips, see how to prevent sun damage and skin cancer. If you've already had a basal or squamous cell carcinoma, ask your doctor about nicotinamide (vitamin B3).
Check your skin regularly. The American Academy of Dermatology's ABCDE warning signs of melanoma are (AAD):
Basal cell carcinoma often looks different from melanoma. The AAD says it can look like (AAD):
See our guides to the 7 warning signs of skin cancer, skin cancer that looks like a pimple and how to do a skin self-exam.
No, not based on the current evidence, and never without talking to your prescriber. The research so far does not show an increase in melanoma, and the signal for non-melanoma skin cancer was small and disappeared after correcting for bias (Tang et al., 2026). GLP-1 drugs are prescribed for important reasons, including blood sugar control and weight-related health risks. Stopping suddenly can affect your health in other ways.
If you're worried, these are good questions to bring to your doctor or pharmacist:
The Minor Surgery Center does not prescribe or manage GLP-1 medications. Our role is assessing suspicious spots and removing skin cancers.
If you have a new, changing or non-healing spot, call (647) 614-1611 or book a free consultation.
Current evidence does not show that Ozempic (semaglutide) or other GLP-1 drugs cause skin cancer. The largest 2026 study found no increased melanoma risk and only a small, borderline signal for non-melanoma skin cancer, which disappeared after correcting for bias. Long-term data are still limited.
No increase was found. In a large 2026 study of adults with type 2 diabetes (about 236,000 and 154,000 matched pairs in two comparisons), melanoma hazard ratios were 1.04 and 1.09 compared with two other diabetes drug classes. Neither was statistically significant.
The evidence is reassuring but not final. One 2026 study found a borderline increase in non-melanoma skin cancer (mostly basal and squamous cell carcinoma) in one of two comparisons, which disappeared after a bias correction. Basal and squamous cell carcinoma weren't analyzed separately.
There's limited long-term data specific to tirzepatide and skin cancer. A tirzepatide meta-analysis summarized in a 2025 review reported no excess risk across cancer types including skin. The 2026 skin cancer study authors note that follow-up for newer drugs is still short.
Ozempic's Canadian product monograph warns that semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumours in rodents, and that it's unknown whether this happens in humans. It should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2.
No. Don't stop or change any medication without talking to your prescriber. The current evidence doesn't show an increase in melanoma, and regular skin checks and sun protection are the best way to manage your skin cancer risk.
There's no specific recommendation for extra skin checks because of GLP-1 drugs. How often you should be checked depends on your own risk factors, such as skin type, sun history, number of moles and personal or family history of skin cancer.
We didn't find good research on how GLP-1-related weight loss affects moles. Any mole that changes in size, shape or colour should be checked by a doctor, whatever the reason.
Yes. Removal of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma is OHIP-covered at The Minor Surgery Center, with no referral needed.
All sources were accessed on November 3, 2026.
