Latest news with #YaelWolffSagy
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
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight loss drugs could slash cancer risks by 41% compared to surgery, researchers claim
Blockbuster weight loss drugs may help people avoid obesity-related cancers, new research suggests. Obesity contributes to 13 types of cancer, and health experts are worried about the growing toll as obesity rates continue to rise globally. The new study, published in the Lancet journal eClinicalMedicine, suggests that weight loss drugs such as Saxena or Trulicity could help curb these risks. Researchers compared nearly 6,400 people with obesity and diabetes who either underwent bariatric surgery or took GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are weight loss drugs that work by mimicking a hormone in the body that makes people feel full for longer. In the years after their treatments, there were 5.76 obesity-related cancer cases per 1,000 person-years among patients who had bariatric surgery, compared with a rate of 5.64 among those who took GLP-1s. Related Experimental daily pill found to aid weight loss in what could be alternative to jabs like Ozempic Because surgery is more effective at lowering people's weight, the researchers concluded that weight-loss drugs could be even better at preventing obesity-related cancers – to the tune of 41 per cent, they said. 'Our study found a similar incidence of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with first-generation [GLP-1 drugs] and with bariatric surgery… despite the relative advantage of surgery in maximising weight loss,' Yael Wolff Sagy, a study author and a researcher at Clalit Health Services in Israel, said in a statement. 'But accounting for this advantage revealed the direct effect of GLP-1RAs beyond weight-loss to be 41 per cent more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer'. Notably, though, when the researchers took people's ability to manage their blood sugar levels into account, the medicines' edge over surgery dropped to 13 per cent. Related Global expert panel suggests overhauling how obesity is diagnosed, says BMI is not enough The benefit from the drugs could be because they help reduce inflammation, the researchers said, adding that newer medicines such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Zepbound could have an even greater effect. '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,' Sagy said. The study is the latest to suggest drugs designed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes could be used for much more than weight loss. Other research indicates they could help people with addiction, dementia, liver problems, and more. But the analysis has some limitations. Only 298 people were diagnosed with obesity-related cancers during the study period, for example, and it's not clear whether people sustained their initial weight loss over time. Larger studies with more patients could affect the statistical analysis that identified the 41 per cent risk reduction from medicines compared with surgery. Related France won't pay for weight loss drug Wegovy. What about other European countries? Independent experts also noted that the study was observational, meaning the authors reviewed existing data, rather than conducting a randomised control trial where some patients receive a drug and others get a placebo or dummy treatment in order to compare their outcomes. Randomised trials are considered the gold standard for medical research. 'Larger outcome trials are needed to understand links between such medicines and cancer risks, and several should report over the next five years,' Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow in the UK, said in a statement. 'It is better to wait to see further large outcome trials versus placebo to get closer to the truth'.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight-loss drugs' impact on cancer risk revealed in new study
Weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery have both been found effective at helping people shed excess pounds — and now a new study explores their link to obesity-related cancer (ORC) risk. Obesity is a known risk factor for certain types of cancers, and has also been shown to impact cancer survival. Obesity-related cancers include multiple myeloma, meningioma, adenocarcinoma of esophagus; stomach, colorectal, liver or bile duct, gallbladder, pancreas, uterus, ovary, renal-cell kidney, thyroid, and postmenopausal breast cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Semaglutide Found To Have Shocking Benefit For Liver Disease Patients In New Study Researchers at Clalit Health Services in Tel Aviv, Israel, conducted an observational study of the medical records of 6,356 participants aged 24 and older who had obesity and diabetes, with no history of obesity-related cancer. Between 2010 and 2018, half of the participants took GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) — injectable medications for obesity and type 2 diabetes — with at least six drug purchases within 12 months. The other half underwent bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS). Read On The Fox News App After adjusting for other factors, the researchers determined that ORC occurred in 5.62 cases per 1,000 person-years in those who had the surgery, and in 5.89 cases per 1,000 person-years among those who took GLP-1s. Overall, the study determined that "the direct effect of GLP1-RAs compared to BMS on the risk for ORC beyond their effects on weight-loss is estimated as 41% relative risk reduction." Here's Why Belly Fat Is More Common As We Age, And 3 Ways To Prevent It The findings were published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. "The results point at the existence of additional pathways beyond weight loss in which GLP-1RAs contribute to the decreased risk for obesity-related cancer," lead study author Yael Wolff Sagy, PhD, head of research at Clalit Health Services, told Fox News Digital. Niketa Patel, professor of molecular medicine with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida, noted that obesity is associated with chronic inflammation. "GLP1-RAs are shown to reduce inflammation and thus decrease the risk of developing ORC," she told Fox News Digital. (Patel was not involved in the study.) "Bottom line: Obesity can cause certain cancers, and treatment of obesity with GLP1-RA reduces the risk of only obesity-related cancers." Dr. Britta Reierson, MD, medical director of knownwell, a provider of metabolic health services, said there are several ways in which GLP-1 RAs could have cancer mitigation properties. "First, the anti-inflammatory properties of these medications address a known risk factor for various cancers," the Minnesota-based doctor, who also was not part of the research, told Fox News Digital. "Second, the metabolic regulation and improvement in metabolic health from these medications, including lowering blood glucose levels and decreasing insulin resistance, can reduce cancer risk." Emerging evidence also suggests that GLP-1 RAs may have direct anti-tumor effects, Reierson noted — "potentially through modulation of immune responses and epigenetic changes (changes that occur to gene expression and are passed down to future generations)." First Glp-1 Pill For Weight Loss, Diabetes Shows Success In Late-phase Trial Research suggests that GLP-1 medications help reduce inflammation not just through weight loss, but also in other organs of the body, such as the heart, according to Dr. Susan Savery, MD, a board-certified obesity medicine and primary care physician with PlushCare, a virtual health platform offering primary care, therapy and weight management services. "Over time, chronic inflammation can be a risk factor for cancer development, as it may damage cell DNA," San Francisco-based Savery, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. "Our fat cells (adipose tissue) naturally produce inflammatory cells, and GLP-1 medications, similar to bariatric surgery, help reduce this inflammation by decreasing the amount of adipose tissue through weight loss." The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged. "First, it is an observational study. It means that our comparison groups (persons who had surgery versus those who received GLP1-RAs) may still have some residual differences, despite our methodological efforts," Sagy told Fox News Digital. "However, only this type of real-life observational study can provide the long follow-up period that is necessary to evaluate the risk of developing cancer, which often has very long latency periods." Another limitation is that the primary drug included in the study was liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza), with smaller numbers of people taking exenatide (Byetta) and dulaglutide (Trulicity). "It will be important to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of the newer GLP1-RA drugs, which are expected to have a larger effect," Sagy said. "Although the direction of the results is promising, we should wait and see if and how clinical guidelines will consider it." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Reierson agreed that much more research is needed before GLP-1 RAs could ever be considered as cancer prevention options. "Larger, randomized, controlled trials are necessary to confirm the observed effects and better understand the underlying mechanisms," she said. "It will also be important to investigate the impact of GLP-1 RAs on different types of cancer and assess the long-term safety and potential side effects of using GLP-1 RAs as a cancer therapy." Savery agrees that it's likely too early to predict FDA approval for cancer therapy, but noted that "weight reduction plays an important role in cancer prevention, and GLP-1s seem to offer an additional benefit through inflammation reduction." For more Health articles, visit While GLP-1 RAs are "wonderful tools" that can support people on weight-loss journeys, Savery pointed out that maintaining a healthy lifestyle through nutritious eating and regular physical activity is "the foundation for cancer prevention and better overall health."Original article source: Weight-loss drugs' impact on cancer risk revealed in new study
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
GLP-1RAs show anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss
A study has found that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) offer anti-cancer benefits that extend beyond their role in promoting weight loss. The observational study (COM2-0186-22), presented during the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) taking place in Malaga, Spain between 11-14 May and published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, investigated first-generation GLP-1RAs Victoza (liraglutide) and Byetta (exenatide). The study found that GLP1-RAs had a direct effect on reducing obesity-related cancer beyond weight loss, with a 41% lower relative risk compared to bariatric surgery. Researchers analysed electronic health record data and over a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancer. Of these cases, 150 were from 3,178 surgery patients (5.76 cases per 1,000 person-years) compared with 148 cases from 3,178 patients taking GLP-1RAs (5.64 cases per 1,000 person-years). This comes as bariatric surgery in weight reduction is already known to reduce cancer risk. The most common cancer was postmenopausal breast cancer (26%), followed by colorectal cancer (16%), and cancer of the uterus (15%). To assess the comparative effect beyond the extent of weight loss (which mediates the reduction in cancer risk following treatment), the researchers further adjusted the analysis for the percentage of maximal BMI change during follow-up. Co-lead author Dr Yael Wolff Sagy from Clalit Health Services, Tel-Aviv, Israel, said: 'Our study found a similar incidence of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with first-generation GLP-1RAs and with bariatric surgery over an average of 8 years follow-up, despite the relative advantage of surgery in maximising weight loss. But accounting for this advantage revealed the direct effect of GLP-1RAs beyond weight loss to be 41% more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer.' Of the 6,356 study participants, 3,884 (61.1%) were females. At baseline, the mean age was 52.3 years, and the mean BMI was 41.5kg/m². Both obesity and diabetes are linked with an increased risk for many types of cancer, referred to as obesity-related cancer, including colorectal cancer, corpus uteri cancer, meningioma and ovarian cancer, as well as multiple myeloma. Investigators are now calling for randomised trials and larger prospective studies to confirm the anti-cancer effects of GLP-1RAs noted in the observational study and explore the underlying mechanisms. GLP-1RAs are also being investigated in other indications beyond obesity and type 2 diabetes, including Alzheimer's disease, addictive disorders and psychiatric disorders. GLP-1RAs have grown massively in recent years following the release of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic in type 2 diabetes and Wegovy in obesity, and Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro in type 2 diabetes and Zepbound in obesity. GlobalData analysis predicts the global GLP-1RA market will reach $168bn by 2033. Research also predicts Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will dominate the market, collectively capturing 94% of the total 2030 GLP-1RA sales. GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena. "GLP-1RAs show anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
GLP-1RAs show anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss
A study has found that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) offer anti-cancer benefits that extend beyond their role in promoting weight loss. The observational study (COM2-0186-22), presented during the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) taking place in Malaga, Spain between 11-14 May and published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, investigated first-generation GLP-1RAs Victoza (liraglutide) and Byetta (exenatide). The study found that GLP1-RAs had a direct effect on reducing obesity-related cancer beyond weight loss, with a 41% lower relative risk compared to bariatric surgery. Researchers analysed electronic health record data and over a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancer. Of these cases, 150 were from 3,178 surgery patients (5.76 cases per 1,000 person-years) compared with 148 cases from 3,178 patients taking GLP-1RAs (5.64 cases per 1,000 person-years). This comes as bariatric surgery in weight reduction is already known to reduce cancer risk. The most common cancer was postmenopausal breast cancer (26%), followed by colorectal cancer (16%), and cancer of the uterus (15%). To assess the comparative effect beyond the extent of weight loss (which mediates the reduction in cancer risk following treatment), the researchers further adjusted the analysis for the percentage of maximal BMI change during follow-up. Co-lead author Dr Yael Wolff Sagy from Clalit Health Services, Tel-Aviv, Israel, said: 'Our study found a similar incidence of obesity-related cancer among patients treated with first-generation GLP-1RAs and with bariatric surgery over an average of 8 years follow-up, despite the relative advantage of surgery in maximising weight loss. But accounting for this advantage revealed the direct effect of GLP-1RAs beyond weight loss to be 41% more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer.' Of the 6,356 study participants, 3,884 (61.1%) were females. At baseline, the mean age was 52.3 years, and the mean BMI was 41.5kg/m². Both obesity and diabetes are linked with an increased risk for many types of cancer, referred to as obesity-related cancer, including colorectal cancer, corpus uteri cancer, meningioma and ovarian cancer, as well as multiple myeloma. Investigators are now calling for randomised trials and larger prospective studies to confirm the anti-cancer effects of GLP-1RAs noted in the observational study and explore the underlying mechanisms. GLP-1RAs are also being investigated in other indications beyond obesity and type 2 diabetes, including Alzheimer's disease, addictive disorders and psychiatric disorders. GLP-1RAs have grown massively in recent years following the release of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic in type 2 diabetes and Wegovy in obesity, and Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro in type 2 diabetes and Zepbound in obesity. GlobalData analysis predicts the global GLP-1RA market will reach $168bn by 2033. Research also predicts Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will dominate the market, collectively capturing 94% of the total 2030 GLP-1RA sales. GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena. "GLP-1RAs show anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
