Articles

Potential Impact of Next-Generation Weight Loss Drugs on Cancer Incidence

Darren R. Brenner; Yibing Ruan; Chantelle Carbonell. JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(9):e2530904

Excess body size has emerged as an impactful component of population-level cancer risk. Current data suggest that at least 13 cancer sites are convincingly associated with excess body size, most often characterized by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25.0. These results have been impressive, especially when compar... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Association between glucagon-like peptidase 1 receptor agonist and obesity-related cancer in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes: a nationwide cohort study

Xianhua Mao, Xinrong Zhang, Linda Henry, et al. JNCI: J. National Cancer Institute, 117:10, October 2025, 2053-2061

Among 919, 609 overweight or obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, 16 653 newly diagnosed with obesity-related cancer were recorded during the 2, 086 ,526 person-years of follow-up. GLP-1 agonist users (vs other glucose-lowering drugs users) were associated with lower incidence and risk of obesity-related cancer. Thi... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and 13 Obesity-Associated Cancers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Lindsey Wang, Rong Xu, David C Kaelber et al. JAMA Netw Open 2024;7;(7):e2421305

Thirteen human malignant neoplasms have been identified as obesity-associated cancers (OACs), ie, the presence of excess body fat is associated with increased risk of developing cancer and worse prognosis in patients with these specific tumors. The glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) class of pharmaceutica... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Cancer Risk in Adults With Obesity

Hao Dai; Yongqiu Li; Yao An Lee; et al. JAMA Oncol. Published online August 21, 2025

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely prescribed for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes and have recently gained popularity for weight management. We compared the incidence of 14 cancers among adults with obesity prescribed GLP-1RAs vs nonusers. A total of 86 632 matched adults were included,... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Ultra processed Food (UPF) Consumption and Risk of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC) Precursors Among Women

Chen Wang, Mengxi Du, Hanseul Kim, et al. JAMA Oncol. 2026 Jan 1;12(1):49-57

In this study, higher UPF intake was associated with increased risk of early-onset colorectal conventional adenomas. These data highlight the important role of UPFs in early-onset colorectal tumorigenesis and support improving dietary quality as a strategy to mitigate the increasing burden of EOCRC. Among 29,105 female... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

An analysis of the burden of colorectal cancer caused by high body mass index in 204 countries and regions worldwide from 1990 to 2023

Zeyu Wu, Yuncan Xing, Fangze Wei,et al. J Glob Health. 2026 Feb 27:16:04043

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading global malignancy with a rising obesity-attributable burden. Emerging evidence highlights concerning trends in early-onset CRC and marked regional disparities, underscoring the need for comprehensive epidemiological assessments to inform targeted prevention strategies. From 199... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Global cancer burden attributable to excess body weight, 1990 to 2021, decomposed by population size, aging, and epidemiological change

Xiaoru Feng, Ruoqian Li, and Hang Yi. Obesity. 2025 Mar;33(3):567-577

The objective of this study was to estimate cancer burden attributable to excess body weight (EBW) and identify its main source. The incidence of 11 EBW-related cancers has increased from 1990 to 2021. Later-born cohorts and older age groups had higher cancer incidence rates. High BMI was the top contributor to changes... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

A global health crisis in young adults: 30-Year trends in high BMI-related early-onset cancer mortality

Rupayan Kundu , Rishabh Kundu , Sudipto Mukherjee. Ann Epidemiol. 114:7-11. 2026

 Early-onset cancer (EOC), occurring in individuals aged 15-49 years, is a growing global health concern. High body mass index (BMI) is an established modifiable risk factor contributing to cancer morbidity and mortality. In 2021, 23,078 EOC deaths related to high BMI occurred, accounting for 2.33 % of global EOC morta... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Global and regional burden of breast cancer attributable to high BMI, 1990–2036: A comprehensive analysis

Yuzhou Cai , Ying Ye , Jingxian Qian. Public Health. 2025 May:242:340-351

This study aimed to assess global, regional, and national trends in breast cancer burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2021 and provide projections up to 2036 using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study. In 2021, high BMI contributed to 44,707 breast cancer deaths and 1,041,3... Read More

24 Mar, 2026

Burden of colorectal cancer attributable to high body-mass index in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2021: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Qiuxia Zhang , Jia Feng , Zhijie Xu, et al. Public Health. 2025 May:242:388-398

A strong association between high Body Mass Index (BMI) and Colorectal Cancer (CRC) has been well established. This study aims to examine and analyze the burden of CRC linked to high BMI at global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2021.  In 2021, the global deaths and DALYs of CRC attributed to high BMI were ... Read More

24 Mar, 2026