Key Findings at a Glance
- GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Mounjaro) may reduce obesity-related cancer risk by nearly 50%—even outperforming bariatric surgery in some cases.
- Bariatric surgery cuts cancer risk by 30-42%, but GLP-1 drugs appear more protective per pound lost, suggesting benefits beyond weight loss alone.
- Newer drugs like tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) may be even more effective—recent trials show 20% weight loss vs. 13.7% with semaglutide (Wegovy).
- Experts call this a “new era of cancer prevention”—with potential to combat breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.
The Study: How Weight-Loss Drugs Stack Up Against Surgery
A landmark Israeli study (presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2025 and published in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine) analyzed 6,000 adults with obesity but no prior cancer.
Two Groups Compared:
- Bariatric Surgery Patients – Lost ~2x more weight than drug users.
- GLP-1 Users – Took liraglutide (Saxenda), exenatide (Byetta), or dulaglutide (Trulicity).
Surprising Results
- Both groups saw similar reductions in cancer risk (~30-50%), despite surgery patients losing far more weight.
- GLP-1 drugs may have extra protective effects, likely due to:
- Reducing inflammation (a key cancer driver).
- Improving metabolic health (beyond just weight loss).
Lead author Prof. Dror Dicker (Israel):
“Newer GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro may be even more powerful at preventing cancer—but we need more research.”
Weight-loss jabs aren’t just helping people shed pounds—they might slash cancer risk by half. With newer, more potent drugs like Mounjaro on the scene, we could be entering a revolutionary era where a simple injection prevents deadly cancers.
Stay tuned—this is just the beginning.
Sharing is Caring