Weight loss jabs could “transform how we think about cancer prevention”, experts have said after a study linked the medication to a reduced risk of cancers connected with obesity.
The study suggested that use of weight loss drugs, technically called GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs), significantly lowered the likelihood of being diagnosed with cancers “directly fuelled by excess body weight”.
Being overweight or obese has previously been linked to an increased risk of 13 types of cancer including cancers of the breast, bowel, pancreas, kidney, liver and stomach.
Dr Aparna Kamat, director of the Division of Gynaecologic Oncology at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, senior author of the study, said: “For policymakers and other researchers, our study is a clear signal that GLP-1 RAs deserve serious investigation as cancer prevention agents, particularly as obesity-related cancers increasingly affect adults in their 40s and 50s.”
Experts from the US examined data on more than 161,000 patients who were obese, did not have diabetes and had not been diagnosed with an obesity-related cancer.
Of these, half used weight-loss injections while the other half were given consultation on diet and exercise.
The analysis, published in the Annals of Oncology, revealed that those who used GLP-1s were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with an obesity-related cancer during the follow-up period, with a reduced risk of 41 per cent.
The data revealed the size of the reduction was not found among black people.
“Our study found that over an average follow-up of two years, GLP-1 RA use was associated with a significantly lower incidence of cancers directly fuelled by excess body weight,” said Dr Kamat.
“Overall cancer risk was reduced by 41% and we saw even larger reductions in certain subgroups, including men, where the risk dropped by nearly 70%.
“Among gynaecological cancers, there was a 58% reduction in the incidence of endometrial cancer, one of the malignancies most closely linked to obesity.
“The reduction in obesity-related cancer risk among white patients was about 50% but this risk reduction was not observed among black patients. This may reflect additional causes such as access to care, differing risk profiles and other biological differences. “We also studied the different GLP-1 RA formulations and found that while all of them reduced the incidence of obesity-related cancers, the greatest reduction was seen among tirzepatide users.”
Dr Kamat said the results suggested the impact of GLP-1 medicines “may reach further and transform how we think about cancer prevention”, adding: “Our findings do not prove causation, and cancer risk reduction should not yet be a standalone reason to prescribe GLP-1 RAs.
“However, for obese, non-diabetic patients who are already candidates for these medications, our data provide an additional and potentially important reason to have that conversation.” Prof Pedro Ramirez, who is chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Houston Methodist Hospital and the second author of the study, said: “Our study suggests GLP-1 RAs may have benefits that extend beyond weight management.
It should be noted that while the findings do not prove that GLP-1 drugs directly prevent cancer, they provide early evidence that deserves further study in long-term clinical trials.
“This study highlights the potential for a major shift in how we think about obesity treatment and cancer prevention. As the use of GLP-1 RA medications continues to grow worldwide, understanding their broader health impact is critically important.”
(Yahoo! News)
