Health
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).
Obesity is a known risk factor for certain types of cancers, and has also been shown to impact cancer survival. (iStock)
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 of obesity-related cancer,” lead study author Yael Wolff Sagy, PhD, head of research at Clalit Health Services, told Fox News Digital.
How do GLP-1 RAs affect cancer risk?
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.)
“The anti-inflammatory properties of these medications address a known risk factor for various cancers.”
“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.
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.” (iStock)
“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.
“The metabolic regulation and improvement in metabolic health from these medications, including lowering blood glucose levels and decreasing insulin resistance, can reduce cancer risk.” (iStock)
“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.”
Potential limitations
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).
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.” (iStock)
“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.” (American Cancer Society/Getty Images)
“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 www.foxnews.com/health
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.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING YOUR FLU SHOT, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS
Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
HOW LONG YOU’RE CONTAGIOUS WITH THE FLU — AND WHEN IT’S SAFE TO GO OUT
The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
RESEARCHERS LOCKED FLU PATIENTS IN A HOTEL WITH HEALTHY ADULTS — NO ONE GOT SICK
The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
FREQUENT HEARTBURN MAY BE A WARNING SIGN OF A MORE DANGEROUS CONDITION, DOCTOR SAYS
The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTH MAY TRAVEL TO THE GUT AND TRIGGER STOMACH CANCER, RESEARCH FINDS
After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Lifestyle12 minutes agoFirings at CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ reflect the fight for media control in the age of Trump
-
Technology20 minutes agoMicrosoft Is Pulling the Plug on Publisher This Fall. These 8 Alternatives Prove You Don't Need It
-
World27 minutes agoTrump expands Cuba sanctions beyond US companies in major crackdown on foreign enablers
-
Politics30 minutes agoBessent flips script on Dem senator with reminder about his son’s past ties to Epstein
-
Health42 minutes agoNew ways to prevent flu revealed in ‘accidental’ lab breakthrough, study finds
-
Sports45 minutes agoRussell Wilson announces retirement from NFL after 14 seasons
-
Technology50 minutes agoDark web monitoring: does it put your data at risk?
-
Business57 minutes agoIn a first for the country, voters in Monterey Park ban data centers
