Source : Perth Now news
Weight-loss jabs could soon become cancer fighters as studies suggest the blockbuster injections may help prevent and treat the disease.
Researchers unveiled a series of promising findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, linking trendy drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro to lower cancer risk and better survival.
While shedding excess weight is known to improve health, experts believe the GLP-1 medicines may also tackle cancer through other mechanisms including reducing inflammation and regulating hormones.
The drugs have already been linked to benefits for heart disease, menopause symptoms, brain fog and addictions.
Now cancer is emerging as another potential target.
One study by the University of Pennsylvania found women taking GLP-1 drugs had a 30 per cent lower risk of breast cancer.
Study author Dr Elizabeth McDonald said: “Our study adds to growing evidence that it’s worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools.”
Another study from Italy’s Dino Amadori Romagna Institute for Tumour Research found breast cancer patients using the injections alongside treatment were 30 per cent less likely to die within 18 months.
Meanwhile, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio discovered patients with breast, bowel, liver or lung cancer who used the jabs were up to 50 per cent less likely to progress to incurable stage four disease.
Other reports suggested users may also be less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia.
At least two clinical trials are already testing the injections directly in cancer patients.
Dr Eleonora Teplinsky, a breast cancer expert and doctor in New Jersey, said: “I think there is enough data to show there is clearly some impact on either cancer risk or the risk of recurrence, but we haven’t yet defined it exactly.
“We need to do more studies putting patients on them and seeing what happens.
“There are also signals that they may help with side effects.
“My patients who are on GLP-1s often feel better and it helps with a lot of the side effects from their hormone blockers.
“Interest in this area is climbing exponentially. It’s a very hot topic right now and hopefully we can capitalise on that.”
Dr Michela Palleschi, author of the Italian research, added: “Our result suggests that GLP-1s could amplify survival gains by addressing drivers of resistance, such as fat mass, oestrogen and inflammation.”
