Latest news with #MarkLawler
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.
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
Weight-loss jabs could halve risk of obesity-related cancers, study finds
Weight-loss jabs could almost halve the risk of obesity-related cancers, a landmark study suggests. Cancer experts said the findings were 'transformational' and could herald a 'whole new era of preventive cancer medicine'. Obesity is associated with 13 different cancers. While losing weight reduces that risk, scientists have calculated weight-loss injections have a bigger protective effect over and above shedding the kilos. Researchers in Israel studied 6,000 adults with no prior history of cancer, who either underwent bariatric surgery or took glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) liraglutide (Saxenda), exenatide (Byetta) or dulaglutide (Trulicity). The drugs work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone in the body, which lowers blood sugar levels and makes people feel fuller for longer. Although those who had bariatric surgery lost around double the weight of those on weight-loss medication, the study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, and published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine, found the reduction in cancer risk was broadly the same. Bariatric surgery reduces the risk of cancer by 30-42%, the researchers said. Therefore, accounting for the relative advantage of surgery in reducing patients' weight, the authors found weight-loss drugs were more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer. 'The protective effects of GLP-1RAs against obesity-related cancers likely arise from multiple mechanisms, including reducing inflammation,' said co-lead author Prof Dror Dicker from Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel. Newer drugs could prove even more beneficial, he added. '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.' A separate study, presented at the conference and published in New England Journal of Medicine, directly compared weight-loss jabs and found patients taking Mounjaro lost about 50% more weight than those taking Wegovy. Patients on Mounjaro typically saw a 20.2% drop in body weight at the end of the trial compared with 13.7% with Wegovy. Responding to the findings, Prof Mark Lawler, an internationally renowned cancer research expert from Queen's University Belfast, said while this was an observational study and caution was needed interpreting the results, the results were very exciting. '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. 'Biologically, this makes sense, as targeting GLP-1 dampens down inflammation, one of the hallmarks of cancer. '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. This work could herald a whole new era of preventive cancer medicine.' Prof Jason Halford, former president of the European Association for the Study of Obesity and head of psychology at Leeds University, said the drugs should also be tested in patients with newly diagnosed cancers to see if they boosted survival chances. He added the drugs had 'the potential to be a new dawn. And it's not just prevention, weight management in people recently diagnosed with cancer is also critical in terms of outcomes. That would be the next thing to look at. More and more cancers are being associated with obesity.' A team of 54 international experts from 12 different countries issued a joint statement at the conference, calling for weight-loss drugs to be trialled as a priority for cancer prevention. As a result, a UK team of scientists, based at the University of Manchester and funded by Cancer Research UK, are planning a large-scale clinical trial involving tens of thousands of patients, which they hope to get under way within 'three to five years'. Dr Matthew Harris, at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, said weight-loss jabs 'provide genuinely fantastic weight loss, and may provide an intervention that could be delivered on a population-scale, where we have not been able to achieve this before'.
The Independent
14-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Cancer care in the UK ‘at breaking point', experts warn
Cancer care in the UK is at a 'critical breaking point,' several experts have warned, calling for radical action to tackle deepening financial pressures. The group says that a National Cancer Director with a dedicated office should be introduced to take a data-driven approach to improving cancer care systems in the UK. Writing for The Lancet Oncology, the group of authors criticises the previous Conservative government for '14 years of gross mismanagement.' Responding, Labour says it is determined to drive down waiting times for cancer patients, pointing to its upcoming National Cancer Plan to improve the current care system. Mark Lawler, professor of Digital Health at Queen's University Belfast and lead author, said: 'The urgency is clear: in my mind, we are already in the midst of a cancer crisis, precipitated by 14 years of gross mismanagement of cancer by the previous administration and the collateral impact of Covid and national lockdowns on cancer services and cancer patients. 'Now, more than ever, we must learn from each other, acknowledge the scale of the challenge, and implement data-driven solutions and achieve efficiencies, some of which may be contentious in the short term, but are essential for long-term cancer control within financial constraints.' The comment article highlights several policy recommendations which the authors state will improve survival and quality of life for people with cancer. Among the issues highlighted is the abolition of NHS England, which the authors said marks a 'seismic shift' in UK healthcare governance. The authors warn that the 'greatest risk lies in reactive, short-term, ill-informed decision-making' by the Government, which they state could further reduce UK cancer survival rates, deepen health inequalities and escalate inefficiencies. Professor Pat Price, from Imperial College London, who is chairwoman of Radiotherapy UK, said: 'Delayed cancer treatment has become the deadly norm in this country, and we won't reverse it unless we commit to doing things differently. 'If we keep doing the same things, with the same voices in the room, we're going to continue to face some of the worst cancer outcomes in Europe. 'In the massively overlooked area of radiotherapy cancer care, for example, nearly two-thirds of cancer patients are waiting too long for their cancer treatment. 'Too often, we see cancer policy take a tunnel-vision approach, only focusing on areas like early diagnosis and completely overlooking the fact that we need to actually treat patients if we want to improve survival. 'The international environment, domestic funding pressures and a lack of policy priority to take the action needed could eclipse attempts to reverse the poor cancer outcomes the country faces. 'If we want to stop cancer patients in this country from dying needlessly, the promised cancer plan has to be radical. It needs to be data-driven. 'And it needs to ensure that, if money is tight, we're spending it on the things that are proven to improve cancer outcomes.' Professor Richard Sullivan, director of the Institute for Cancer Policy, King's College London, said: 'We need to get real. 'The evidence is irrefutable – we need to recognise the impact that the global insecurity we are currently experiencing will have on health systems. 'If defence spending goes up, as it certainly will, health expenditure will suffer. And the recent bombardment with tariffs from the new US government will only make matters worse.' Another issue highlighted by the research team is the need to cut consultation by the current Government, which they said is delaying the development of a new national cancer strategy. Professor Lawler said: 'We cannot continually consult our way out of a crisis – the evidence we and others have provided is irrefutable. 'We have more than enough data intelligence – what we need to do is act on this evidence as a matter of urgency. 'At the turn of the century, Denmark had worse cancer outcomes than the UK. 'But by prioritising cancer at the very top of the Danish health agenda, they now have among the best improvements in cancer outcomes in Europe. We need to 'do a Denmark'. 'If we don't act urgently and boldly 'follow the data', we'll forgo our precious opportunity and remain rock-bottom in the competition against cancer, our deadly enemy.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the Government had 'inherited a broken NHS where too many cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment'. The spokesperson said: 'We are determined to drive down waiting times and our Plan for Change is already getting patients seen and treated faster, with 80,000 more diagnosed or ruled out with cancer between July and January. 'The NHS exceeded its faster diagnosis cancer target for the first time in February amid record demand – almost four-fifths of people received a definitive cancer diagnosis or all-clear within four weeks. 'This is just the start: our National Cancer Plan will set out further how we will improve cancer care to bring this country's cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Experts warn that UK cancer care system is at ‘critical breaking point'
The UK cancer care system is facing a 'critical breaking point', a number of experts have warned. In a comment article published in The Lancet Oncology, the researchers have called for radical action to head off deepening financial pressures. The article calls for the appointment of an independent National Cancer Director and an office of support to take data-driven actions across the UK. The Government has responded, saying it is determined to drive down waiting times for cancer patients. Mark Lawler, professor of Digital Health at Queen's University Belfast and lead author, said: 'The urgency is clear: in my mind, we are already in the midst of a cancer crisis, precipitated by 14 years of gross mismanagement of cancer by the previous administration and the collateral impact of Covid and national lockdowns on cancer services and cancer patients. 'Now, more than ever, we must learn from each other, acknowledge the scale of the challenge, and implement data-driven solutions and achieve efficiencies, some of which may be contentious in the short term, but are essential for long-term cancer control within financial constraints.' The comment article highlights several policy recommendations which the authors state will improve survival and quality of life for people with cancer. Among the issues highlighted is the abolition of NHS England, which the authors said marks a 'seismic shift' in UK healthcare governance. The authors warn that the 'greatest risk lies in reactive, short-term, ill-informed decision-making' by the Government, which they state could further reduce UK cancer survival rates, deepen health inequalities and escalate inefficiencies. Professor Pat Price, from Imperial College London, who is chairwoman of Radiotherapy UK, said: 'Delayed cancer treatment has become the deadly norm in this country, and we won't reverse it unless we commit to doing things differently. 'If we keep doing the same things, with the same voices in the room, we're going to continue to face some of the worst cancer outcomes in Europe. 'In the massively overlooked area of radiotherapy cancer care, for example, nearly two-thirds of cancer patients are waiting too long for their cancer treatment. 'Too often, we see cancer policy take a tunnel-vision approach, only focusing on areas like early diagnosis and completely overlooking the fact that we need to actually treat patients if we want to improve survival. 'The international environment, domestic funding pressures and a lack of policy priority to take the action needed could eclipse attempts to reverse the poor cancer outcomes the country faces. 'If we want to stop cancer patients in this country from dying needlessly, the promised cancer plan has to be radical. It needs to be data-driven. 'And it needs to ensure that, if money is tight, we're spending it on the things that are proven to improve cancer outcomes.' Professor Richard Sullivan, director of the Institute for Cancer Policy, King's College London, said: 'We need to get real. 'The evidence is irrefutable – we need to recognise the impact that the global insecurity we are currently experiencing will have on health systems. 'If defence spending goes up, as it certainly will, health expenditure will suffer. And the recent bombardment with tariffs from the new US government will only make matters worse.' Another issue highlighted by the research team is the need to cut consultation by the current Government, which they said is delaying the development of a new national cancer strategy. Professor Lawler said: 'We cannot continually consult our way out of a crisis – the evidence we and others have provided is irrefutable. 'We have more than enough data intelligence – what we need to do is act on this evidence as a matter of urgency. 'At the turn of the century, Denmark had worse cancer outcomes than the UK. 'But by prioritising cancer at the very top of the Danish health agenda, they now have among the best improvements in cancer outcomes in Europe. We need to 'do a Denmark'. 'If we don't act urgently and boldly 'follow the data', we'll forgo our precious opportunity and remain rock-bottom in the competition against cancer, our deadly enemy.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the Government had 'inherited a broken NHS where too many cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment'. The spokesperson said: 'We are determined to drive down waiting times and our Plan for Change is already getting patients seen and treated faster, with 80,000 more diagnosed or ruled out with cancer between July and January. 'The NHS exceeded its faster diagnosis cancer target for the first time in February amid record demand – almost four-fifths of people received a definitive cancer diagnosis or all-clear within four weeks. 'This is just the start: our National Cancer Plan will set out further how we will improve cancer care to bring this country's cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.'
