Weight loss treatments, including new medications and surgical options, may help lower the risk of obesity-related cancers in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a large study from the University of Leicester.
The findings were published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Researchers examined health data from around 180,000 adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
They focused on cancers that are strongly linked to obesity, such as breast, colorectal, gallbladder, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, and uterine cancers.
The study compared people who received popular weight loss drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide, people who underwent bariatric surgery, and those who were prescribed medication for diabetes management.
The results were promising. Patients who had bariatric surgery showed the clearest benefits, with about 15 percent fewer cases of cancer compared to those who did not undergo the procedure.
Similarly, people taking semaglutide also appeared to benefit, with around 12 percent fewer cancer diagnoses.
Early signs suggested that tirzepatide may also reduce cancer risk, though more data will be needed to confirm this.
Dr. Jonathan Goldney, co-lead author of the study, explained, “We observed a lower incidence of cancer in people who had undergone weight-loss surgery.
There were also strong indicators that people prescribed semaglutide had lower incidence too.
Our study findings make sense, as there is a growing amount of research suggesting that obesity causes cancer. Through sustained weight reduction, these therapies may also help reduce the risk of developing cancer.”
The large size of the study gives weight to the findings.
“Because this study included data from tens of thousands of people, our findings give us confidence that the potential benefits of weight loss treatments for cancer prevention could be relevant to a wide range of patients in the real world,” said Testimony Ipaye, also a lead author from the University of Leicester.
“The potential impact on future health care and patient outcomes is hugely encouraging.”
Professor Melanie Davies, Director of the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre and another co-lead author, said the research adds to growing evidence about the benefits of weight loss treatments.
“These findings are exciting as they give us hope that the benefits may also extend into cancer prevention and reduction, which could inform treatment management and prevention in the future,” she said.
The study highlights a new possibility: that treatments already being used to manage weight and diabetes could also protect against cancer, offering patients an even greater long-term health benefit.
Source: University of Leicester.
