Weight loss shots could ‘herald a whole new era’ in cancer prevention, expert says Weight loss injections, specifically GLP-1 receptor agonists, are emerging as a potentially transformative approach to cancer prevention, according to recent research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain. The study suggests these medications could significantly reduce the risk of obesity-related tumors, mirroring the effectiveness of bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery, which alters the digestive system to limit food intake, has demonstrated a reduction in obesity-related cancer risk by 30 to 42%. Researchers examined data from 6,356 individuals, with approximately half undergoing bariatric surgery while the other half were prescribed weight loss medications. Following a 7.5-year monitoring period, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancers. The most prevalent types were postmenopausal breast cancer, bowel cancer, and uterine cancer. Patients who underwent surgery typically lost more weight and exhibited a slightly lower incidence of cancer diagnoses.
However, statistical analysis revealed a crucial finding: if patients had achieved the same weight loss regardless of whether they received surgery or medication, the preventative effect was substantially stronger among those taking the weight loss drugs. This indicates that the medications offer additional protective benefits beyond simply reducing weight. The study’s co-lead author, Professor Dror Dicker from Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, believes that the anti-inflammatory properties of these newer, highly potent GLP-1-RAs likely contribute to this protective effect. He notes that future research is needed to confirm whether these drugs may inadvertently increase the risk of non-obesity-related cancers. "The key here is that the medications themselves, independent of the surgery, appear to be offering a significant preventative advantage. This suggests a level of biological action that goes beyond just calorie restriction."
Professor Mark Lawler, an international cancer researcher expert from Queen’s University Belfast who was not involved with the research, described the findings as ‘very exciting.’ He emphasized that ‘These results are very exciting. We already know that bariatric surgery cuts obesity-related cancer risk by about a third. “These data suggest that target glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) may cut that risk by nearly 50% - an approach that would be transformational in preventing obesity-related cancer.’ He added, "It’s a really important step forward in understanding how we can tackle cancer through lifestyle interventions."
Rates of obesity have been rising substantially worldwide over the past 30 years, with few countries, particularly in the West, successfully curbing this trend. Approximately 4-8% of all cancers are directly linked to obesity. The increasing availability of GLP-1 receptor agonists – injectable weight loss medications – presents a genuinely promising option for cancer prevention in the future. Dr. Matthew Harris, from the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, highlighted the urgency: ‘As these medications are becoming more and more widely available, there’s not necessarily time to wait around before we actually undertake a clinical trial to answer this really important question.’ The research suggests a paradigm shift in cancer prevention, moving beyond traditional methods to a targeted approach that addresses the root cause – obesity – through innovative pharmacological interventions. "We need to move quickly to validate these findings and determine the long-term impact of these medications."
