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Study · Observational study · 2025

6 results

Weight loss interventions and obesity-associated cancers in people with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity: A real-world observational study.

Ipaye T, Goldney J, Wilkinson TJ, Zaccardi F, Yates T, Davies MJ, Brown K, Papamargaritis D

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism3 Sept 2025Cited by 7 (Europe PMC)

PMID40903861 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC12587238 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1111/dom.70090 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-40903861
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Summary

AimsTo evaluate whether weight-loss interventions are associated with obesity-associated cancers (OAC) in individuals with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D).Materials and methodsThis retrospective cohort study utilised the TriNetX federated research network. Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors. Using Cox regression analysis, we estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of composite and individual OAC: breast, colorectal, gallbladder, liver, multiple myeloma, oesophageal, ovarian, pancreatic, renal, gastric cardia, thyroid and uterine cancers.ResultsIn 64,178 matched pairs (mean follow-up 911 days), semaglutide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95), colorectal (0.80; 0.67-0.97), liver (0.75; 0.60-0.95) and pancreatic (0.76; 0.60-0.96) cancers. In 19,682 matched pairs (mean follow-up 435 days), tirzepatide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with a non-significant lower rate of composite OAC (0.84; 0.69-1.01) but a significant lower rate of ovarian cancer (0.31; 0.10-0.95). In 9642 matched pairs (mean follow-up 1746 days), BS (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (0.85; 0.74-0.98), liver (0.56; 0.32-0.97) and uterine cancers (0.59; 0.38-0.90), and higher rates of gastric cardia cancer (10.54; 1.35-82.38) and oesophageal cancer (4.78; 1.04-21.87).ConclusionsSemaglutide and BS were associated with lower cancer rates in individuals with overweight/obesity and T2D, with non-significant lower rates also observed with tirzepatide. These findings suggest weight-loss interventions may contribute to cancer prevention in this population.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study6

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. 6 results from people.

  1. 01HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was associated with a lower rate of composite obesity-associated cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.88).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was linked to fewer obesity-related cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseComposite obesity-associated cancers
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.88 ratio
    composite OAC

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 64,178 matched pairs (mean follow-up 911 days), semaglutide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95), colorectal (0.80; 0.67-0.97), liver (0.75; 0.60-0.95) and pancreatic (0.76; 0.60-0.96) cancers.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.
  2. 02HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was associated with a lower rate of colorectal cancer than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.80).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was linked to fewer colorectal cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseColorectal cancer
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.8 ratio
    colorectal cancer

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 64,178 matched pairs (mean follow-up 911 days), semaglutide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95), colorectal (0.80; 0.67-0.97), liver (0.75; 0.60-0.95) and pancreatic (0.76; 0.60-0.96) cancers.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.
  3. 03HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was associated with a lower rate of liver cancer than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.75).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was linked to fewer liver cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseLiver cancer
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.75 ratio
    liver cancer

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 64,178 matched pairs (mean follow-up 911 days), semaglutide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95), colorectal (0.80; 0.67-0.97), liver (0.75; 0.60-0.95) and pancreatic (0.76; 0.60-0.96) cancers.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.
  4. 04HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was associated with a lower rate of pancreatic cancer than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.76).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was linked to fewer pancreatic cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreasePancreatic cancer
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.76 ratio
    pancreatic cancer

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 64,178 matched pairs (mean follow-up 911 days), semaglutide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with lower rates of composite OAC (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.95), colorectal (0.80; 0.67-0.97), liver (0.75; 0.60-0.95) and pancreatic (0.76; 0.60-0.96) cancers.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.
  5. 05HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was associated with a non-significant lower rate of composite obesity-associated cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.69-1.01).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was not clearly linked to fewer obesity-related cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Tirzepatide
    Outcome
    No significant changeComposite obesity-associated cancers
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.84 ratio
    composite OAC

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 19,682 matched pairs (mean follow-up 435 days), tirzepatide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with a non-significant lower rate of composite OAC (0.84; 0.69-1.01) but a significant lower rate of ovarian cancer (0.31; 0.10-0.95).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.
  6. 06HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was associated with a significantly lower rate of ovarian cancer than DPP-4 inhibitors (HR 0.31).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight and type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was linked to fewer ovarian cancers than DPP-4 inhibitors.

    Peptide
    Tirzepatide
    Outcome
    DecreaseOvarian cancer
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    DPP-4 inhibitors
    Outcome group
    Tumor growth · Cancer
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    HR
    0.31 ratio
    ovarian cancer

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In 19,682 matched pairs (mean follow-up 435 days), tirzepatide (vs. DPP-4i) was associated with a non-significant lower rate of composite OAC (0.84; 0.69-1.01) but a significant lower rate of ovarian cancer (0.31; 0.10-0.95).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Three cohorts of adults with overweight/obesity and T2D, treated with either semaglutide, tirzepatide or bariatric surgery (BS) between June 2005 and June 2025, were propensity score matched (1:1) to cohorts treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) using potential confounding factors.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 3Current

    11 Oct 2026, 00:04 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:07 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:06 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

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