Obesity-related cancer, a generalized term to classify specific cancer types that develop more frequently in obese patients, accounts for around 4 – 8% of cancer cases. Cancer research has linked breast, colorectal, esophageal, kidney, and pancreatic cancers to obesity.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs have surged in popularity over the past couple of years for their ability to mediate significant weight loss in obese individuals. Many cells throughout the body express GLP-1 receptors on their surface, where they bind GLP-1, an important hormone that regulates blood glucose.
Bariatric surgeries, invasive procedures that alter the way a patient’s digestive system operates, can also result in significant weight loss and mitigate symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that bariatric surgery reduces the incidence of obesity-related cancers.
Doctors prescribe GLP-1 receptor agonists, like Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Zepbound, for adults with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other comorbidities. The remarkable effects of these drugs have led to exciting hypotheses that GLP-1 receptor agonists could be a promising avenue to reduce the risk of obesity related-cancer.
A recent study established to determine if GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce the risk of developing obesity-related cancers similarly to bariatric surgery. The researchers published their findings in eClinicalMedicine and also presented their data at the 32nd European Congress on Obesity, which began yesterday in Malaga, Spain.
The retrospective study compared the incidence of obesity-related cancer in patients treated for obesity and diabetes by either GLP-1 receptor agonists or bariatric surgery. The researchers collected data from electronic medical records and identified 3,178 cancer-free adults with obesity and diabetes who received GLP-1 receptor agonists. Considering variables like age, sex, and smoking status, the researchers matched the same number of individuals who underwent bariatric surgery. The study considered diagnoses of multiple myeloma, meningioma, esophageal, stomach, colorectal, liver, bile duct, gallbladder, pancreas, corpus uteri, ovary, kidney, thyroid, and postmenopausal breast cancer as obesity-related cancer.
The analysis showed that obesity-related cancers occurred at a similar rate in the cohort undergoing bariatric surgery (150 of 3,178) and those who received GLP-1 receptor agonists (148 of 3,178).
Because bariatric surgery has a known correlation to reduced cancer risk, the researchers adjusted their analysis to account for the percentage of maximal BMI change after weight loss intervention. Following adjusted biostatistical analysis, the researchers found that GLP-1 receptor agonists directly reduced the development of obesity-related cancer in a mechanism separate from weight loss. Overall, individuals receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists exhibited about a 40% lower risk of obesity-related cancer than those who underwent bariatric surgery.
The authors note that larger clinical trials could validate these observations. Moreover, further elucidation of the underlying mechanism of the observed effects could provide valuable information on new ways to mediate obesity-related cancer.
Sources: Cancers, Signal Trans Target Ther, JAMA, eClin Med
