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Irish Examiner
20-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Weight loss injections may have an anti-cancer effect ‘beyond weight loss'
Weight loss injections may have a powerful anti-cancer effect, new research suggests. Experts already know that losing weight reduces the risk of cancer, but now they think weight-loss jabs may have a role beyond simply helping people shed pounds. This may be because weight loss jabs cut inflammation, researchers said, with newer drugs possibly having the biggest effect. However, one expert said much more research is needed. Weight loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by reducing food cravings. Major names of GLP-1 receptor agonists, some of which are used to treat diabetes, include semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic), tirzepatide (Mounjaro), liraglutide (Saxenda) and exenatide (a drug which has now been discontinued). The new research, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga. This study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide It found that first generation GLP-1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide and exenatide may have anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss. Researchers first of all discovered similar rates of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with the drugs and those given bariatric surgery. Co-lead author, Dr Yael Wolff Sagy from Clalit Health Services in Tel-Aviv, Israel, said they also found a 'direct effect' of GLP-1 receptor agonists beyond weight-loss 'to be 41% more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer'. She added: 'We do not yet fully understand how GLP-1s work, but this study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide.' Keeping a healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer, including breast, bowel, pancreatic, oesophageal and gallbladder cancer. The protective effects of GLP1-RAs against obesity-related cancers likely arise from multiple mechanisms, including reducing inflammation In the new study, researchers analysed electronic health record data for obese people and those with type 2 diabetes, all with no prior history of cancer, who were treated with first-generation GLP-1 receptor agonists. Over a typical follow-up of 7.5 years, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancer, most commonly breast, bowel and womb cancer. The analysis found that obesity-related cancer occurred in 150 of 3,178 bariatric surgery patients and in 148 of 3,178 patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, despite the 'relative advantage' of bariatric surgery in weight reduction, which is already known to cut cancer risk. Further analysis suggested GLP drugs had a direct effect on reducing obesity-related cancer beyond weight-loss, with a 41% lower relative risk compared to bariatric surgery. Co-lead author, Professor Dror Dicker from Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Centre in Israel, said: 'The protective effects of GLP1-RAs against obesity-related cancers likely arise from multiple mechanisms, including reducing inflammation. 'Our study is unique in that the long-term follow-up allowed us to compare the effects of GLP1-RAs and surgery with potential long latency periods of cancer. 'New generation, highly potent GLP1-RAs with higher efficacy in weight reduction may convey an even greater advantage in reducing the risk of obesity-related cancers, but future research is needed to make sure that these drugs do not increase the risk for non–obesity-related cancers.' Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said larger trials with carefully matched groups of people were needed to test the theory. 'This study, whilst interesting, cannot confirm or refute any links of incretin-based therapies with cancer as the design was not a trial but rather observational, and there were quite marked differences between the groups in baseline characteristics that simply cannot be matched,' he said. 'It is better to wait to see further large outcome trials versus placebo to get closer to the truth.' He said larger trials 'are needed to understand links between such medicines and cancer risks, and several should report over the next five years.' Read More WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy after growth in weight-loss drugs
New York Post
12-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Weight loss drugs may cut cancer risk by 50% according to ‘transformational' new study
Another win for the jab. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been linked to a host of benefits beyond diabetes management and weight loss, from reduced dementia risk to addiction treatment. Now new research out of Israel has found that it can substantially reduce the risk of obesity-related cancers — and it's more effective than getting weight loss surgery. Advertisement A new study found that GLP-1 drugs significantly reduce cancer risk associated with obesity — even more so than getting weight loss surgery. REUTERS Published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine, the study looked at thousands of people with obesity and diabetes who were on GLP-1 drugs including liraglutide (Saxenda), exenatide (Byetta) and dulaglutide (Trulicity). Semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) were not included in the study. Obesity is associated with 13 cancers, and losing weight can slash that risk. But the researchers found that the impact these drugs have on cancer development is greater than just aiding weight loss. Advertisement That's because they compared weight loss drug users to those who got bariatric surgery to lose weight — and their results determined that the drugs are '41% more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer,' according to Dr. Yael Wolff Sagy of Clalit Health Services in Tel-Aviv, Israel, co-lead author of the study. 'We do not yet fully understand how GLP-1s work, but this study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide,' she said. 'The protective effects of GLP-1RAs against obesity-related cancers likely arise from multiple mechanisms, including reducing inflammation,' added co-lead author Dr. Dror Dicker from Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel. Advertisement Obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer, including breast, prostate, uterus, pancreas, colon, kidney and liver. Kawee – The new study could mean groundbreaking changes for cancer prevention, according to Prof. Mark Lawler, a cancer research expert at Queen's University Belfast who was not involved with the study. 'We already know bariatric surgery cuts obesity-related cancer risk by about a third; these data suggest target GLP-1s may cut that risk by nearly 50% — an approach that would be transformational in preventing obesity-related cancer,' he told The Guardian. Advertisement 'This work could herald a whole new era of preventive cancer medicine.' Doctors previously identified GLP-1 drugs as a helpful tool for weight loss in order to prevent obesity-related cancers, though until now the reduced risk was thought to be entirely because of weight changes. Obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer, including breast, prostate, uterus, pancreas, colon, kidney and liver. A study published last year found that people on GLP-1 drugs reduced their risk of10 of the 13 obesity-associated cancers. 'These drugs promote substantial weight loss, reducing obesity-related cancer risks,' said lead author Lindsey Wang, a medical student and research scholar at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. 'They also enhance insulin sensitivity and lower insulin levels, decreasing cancer cell growth signals.'
Perth Now
12-05-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Weight-loss jabs could prevent obesity-related cancers
Weight-loss jabs could cut the risk of obesity-related cancers. Experts in Israel analysed data from 6,356 people - with around half of the volunteers having had bariatric surgery, which modifies the digestive system to lower food intake, and the rest took slimming jabs - and after an average follow-up of 7.5 years, 298 patients were found to have had obesity-related cancers. Weight-loss jabs, or GLP-1-based medicines, such as tirzepatide - act like the glucose hormone GLP-1 by decreasing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness. And researchers, who presented the findings - which are in the journal eClinicalMedicine - at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, said "new generation, highly potent GLP1-RAs with higher efficacy in weight reduction" such as Wegovy, can produce could result in an "even greater advantage" of reducing obesity-related cancers. Study co-lead and author Professor Dror Dicker, from Rabin Medical Center in Israel, said: "New generation, highly potent GLP1-RAs with higher efficacy in weight reduction may convey an even greater advantage in reducing the risk of obesity-related cancers."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight loss jabs could almost halve risk of obesity-related cancers beyond slimming down, study suggests
Weight loss injections could help prevent cancer beyond helping people slim down, new research suggests. The study said that there were similar rates of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with the injections and those given weight loss, or bariatric, surgery. It also found weight loss jabs, officially GLP-1 receptor agonists, could almost halve the risk of related - in addition to the expected health benefits from losing weight. Dr Yael Wolff Sagy, the study's co-lead author from Clalit Health Services in Tel-Aviv, Israel, said a "direct effect" of the injections was that they were found "to be 41% more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer". She added: "We do not yet fully understand how GLP-1s work, but this study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide." Being overweight or obese is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK, causing more than one in 20 cancer cases, according to the NHS. Read more: In the study, researchers looked at electronic health record data for obese people and those with type 2 diabetes, all with no prior history of cancer, who were treated with first-generation GLP-1 receptor agonists. Over a typical follow-up of seven and a half years, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancer, with the most common types being breast, bowel and womb cancer. The analysis found that obesity-related cancer occurred in 150 of 3,178 bariatric surgery patients and in 148 of 3,178 patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, despite the "relative advantage" of bariatric surgery in weight reduction. Further study suggested the drugs had a direct effect on reducing obesity-related cancer beyond weight loss, with a 41% lower relative risk compared to bariatric surgery. Co-lead Professor Dror Dicker, from Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Centre in Israel, suggested the protective effects of the drugs "likely arise from multiple mechanisms, including reducing inflammation". "New generation, highly potent GLP1-RAs with higher efficacy in weight reduction may convey an even greater advantage in reducing the risk of obesity-related cancers," he added, before warning that future research is needed "to make sure that these drugs do not increase the risk for non-obesity-related cancers". Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, also cautioned that the study "cannot confirm or refute any links of incretin-based therapies [medicines to treat type 2 diabetes] with cancer as the design was not a trial but rather observational". Read more from Sky News: The study was published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, and was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga. It comes as the NHS weighs up offering weight loss drugs from pharmacies at the cost of a standard prescription - £9.90. At the moment, there is a two-year waiting list for Wegovy on the NHS - and last year, showed the rollout is happening far more slowly than planned.
NDTV
12-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Weight-Loss Injections May Protect Against Obesity-Linked Cancers: Study
Weight loss injections could almost halve the risk of developing obesity-linked cancers, a new study has found. Experts have called the findings transformational, saying these jabs may offer protection and extra benefits other than just weight loss. The findings were revealed at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2025 conference held in Malaga, Spain, where a group of 54 experts from 12 countries came together to make a joint statement, as per The Guardian. They said that weight loss medicines should be prioritised in future research to determine if they can help prevent cancer. According to the study, published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine, the researchers examined 6,000 people who had never had cancer before. They either had bariatric surgery or used dulaglutide (Trulicity), liraglutide (Saxenda), exenatide (Byetta), or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). The study revealed that people who underwent bariatric surgery lost around twice as much weight as people who took weight-loss drugs. Researchers also said that this surgery reduces the risk of cancer by 30 to 42 per cent. Researchers believe that these weight loss jabs could bring up a whole new era of preventive cancer treatment. Professor Dror Dicker from Hasharon Hospital and co-author of the study, said, "New generation, highly potent GLP-1RAs with higher efficacy in weight reduction may convey an even greater advantage in reducing the risk of obesity-related cancers, but future research is needed to make sure these drugs do not increase the risk for non-obesity-related cancers." Another study, presented at the conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, claimed patients who took Mounjaro lost almost 50 per cent more weight than those who took Wegovy. At the end of the trial, the patients on Mounjaro usually experienced a 20.2 per cent decrease in body weight against those on Wegovy, who experienced a 13.7 per cent fall. Professor Mark Lawler, an internationally renowned cancer research expert from Queen's University Belfast, said, "While further work is required on how it works, these data raise the intriguing possibility that a GLP-1 jab could prevent multiple cancers in the general population, including common cancers like breast and colorectal, and difficult to treat cancers like pancreatic and ovarian." The experts from the University of Manchester, supported by Cancer Research UK, are aiming to begin the major clinical trial with tens of thousands of patients within the next three to five years.
