Oncobesity News Posts
STAT+: Medicare already covers GLP-1s for half of seniors with obesity, new report finds
Medicare is prohibited by law from covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. But many beneficiaries can access the drugs anyway.
Ozempic underworld: Inside the black market of obesity drugs
A CNBC investigation into counterfeit weight-loss drugs revealed an international illegal marketplace where criminals either alter the drugs or ship the real product from overseas.
Offering Wegovy and other weight loss drugs on Medicare could cost $35 billion
Allowing Medicare to cover popular weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound could increase federal spending by billions of dollars, according to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).Read more…
Combination therapeutic strategy identified for triple negative breast cancer
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most aggressive and deadly type of breast cancer, but new findings from cancer researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital are pointing the way toward therapeutic strategies that could be tested in clinical trials in the future.
Ozempic and prescription weight loss drugs: How they work, what they cost, side effects, and everything to know
A highly effective class of weight loss drug has taken the world by storm, as medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound become household names. These drugs, originally meant to treat diabetes, have become widely known for their slimming side effects.Read more…
Weight-loss surgery may lower risk of pancreatic cancer in people with obesity
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are risk factors for various malignancies, including pancreatic cancer, which has a high death rate. A new analysis in Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews suggests that weight-loss surgery—also called metabolic-bariatric surgery—may lower the risk of developing pancreatic cancer in people with obesity, especially in those who also have type 2 diabetes.
Jenna Fischer Opens Up About Quietly Overcoming Breast Cancer
The star of “The Office” reminded fans how important an annual mammogram is while detailing her diagnosis and treatment in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
‘The Office’s Jenna Fischer secretly battled breast cancer, is now ‘cancer free’
Jenna Fischer was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and celebrated with her family after recently completing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
“The Office” star Jenna Fischer reveals breast cancer diagnosis, treatment
“The Office” actress Jenna Fischer on Tuesday revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year but is now cancer-free after receiving treatment.
‘The Office’ Star Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Emotional Post
Bravo/GettyJenna Fischer revealed to fans Tuesday that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and has since beaten it.“Last December, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive Breast Cancer. After completing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation I am now cancer free,” she wrote on Instagram Tuesday.Along with a snap of her smiling, The Office star posted a lengthy statement chronicling her cancer journey.Read more at The Daily Beast.
AI could help identify women at risk for future breast cancer
Artificial intelligence (AI) scores may be able to estimate the risk for future breast cancer and lead to earlier diagnosis, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in JAMA Network Open.
‘The Office’ star Jenna Fischer reveals breast cancer diagnosis
Jenna Fischer is sharing news of her breast cancer diagnosis.
DAPK3 emerges as a new regulator of migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the subtype of breast cancer that is the hardest to treat. TNBC patients account for more than 20,000 cases of this condition annually in the U.S. alone. They experience worse outcomes than patients with other breast cancer subtypes—their five-year mortality rate is about 40%. The high mortality rate is thought to result from the propensity of the cancer cells to spread or metastasize to other organs and the lack of effective cancer-specific therapies.
Mounjaro will soon be available as a weight loss treatment on the NHS. Here’s what that means for patients
The weight loss jab Mounjaro will soon be made available to nearly a quarter of a million NHS patients, according to proposals made by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Previously, it was only available on the NHS for patients with diabetes.
Tirzepatide Shortage Resolved; Compounder Sues FDA; Menopause Mistaken as Dementia
(MedPage Today) — All doses of the diabetes and weight management injectable tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) were taken off the FDA’s shortage list. (Reuters)
This prompted a compounding group to sue the FDA for removing the drug from said list…
3 reasons behind the rise in breast cancer, including some you can control
There’s a troubling rise in breast cancer in women under the age of 50, an American Cancer Society report shows, but there are things you can do to help lower your risk.
Breast cancer rates rising rapidly in women under 50, new report shows
A new American Cancer Society report reveals that breast cancer rates in women under 50 have risen by 1.4% annually since 2012, double the rate seen in older women. Asian American and Pacific Islander women have experienced the largest increase since 2000. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook joins “CBS Mornings Plus” to talk about the concerning trends.
ACS: Breast Cancer Incidence Rising, Disparities Persist
The biennial breast cancer update from the ACS reported an increase in diagnoses, especially among younger women, as well as disparities in survival outcomes. Medscape Medical News
Study finds common breast cancer treatments may speed aging process
A new study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has revealed that common breast cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, may accelerate the biological aging process in breast cancer survivors.
Reproductive Risk Factor Patterns in Caribbean Women With Breast Cancer
This cross-sectional study examines changes over 4 decades in factors related to reproduction in women in Caribbean countries with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer.
Expanded Medicare Coverage of Antiobesity Drugs May Cost Billions Each Year
Expanding Medicare coverage of a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist to treat obesity could increase annual spending by several billion dollars, a study in Health Affairs found.
Hormonal Contraception Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1 Carriers
(MedPage Today) — Carriers of the BRCA1 cancer gene had a significantly increased risk of breast cancer if they used hormonal contraception (HC), pooled cohort data showed.
Breast cancer risk increased by 29% in BRCA1 carriers who reported any…
Analysis reveals higher cost of anti-obesity drugs compared to surgery
The cost of taking weekly injections of popular anti-obesity medications liraglutide (Saxenda) or semaglutide (Wegovy) exceeds that of metabolic and bariatric surgery in less than a year, according to a recent analysis published in the journal Surgical Endoscopy.
With New FDA Rule, American Cancer Society Shares What Women Should Know about Breast Density
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the American Cancer Society highlights the importance of regular screening and informed decision-making, as dense breast tissue increases breast cancer risk and complicates mammogram detection
Weight Loss After Anti-Obesity Meds Tied to Lower Gout Risk
Achieving weight loss within a year of initiating orlistat can reduce the risk for both incident gout and recurrent gout flares in patients with overweight or obesity. Medscape Medical News
Tirzepatide Shortage Resolved? FDA Says Yes, Compounders No
Tirzepatide injection (Zepbound, Mounjaro) is officially off the FDA’s drug shortage list, meaning compounders can no longer prepare and dispense the drug. Medscape Medical News
Should I Prescribe Liraglutide to a 6-Year-Old Patient With Obesity if FDA Approved?
(MedPage Today) — As a pediatric obesity medicine specialist, I have witnessed first-hand the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the treatment of adolescent obesity. In particular, semaglutide (Wegovy) plus intensive health behavior lifestyle…
Breast cancer deaths fall 44% since 1989 despite rising cases
Breast cancer rates in the United States are increasing significantly, with younger women and Asian Americans experiencing the most notable rises, according to a study released on Tuesday.
What you need to know after a breast cancer diagnosis
Breast cancer strikes 1 in 8 women in the United States, but being diagnosed with the disease can still make you feel alone.
How Healthy Diet, Lifestyle May Help Lower Breast Cancer Risk as Cases Rise in Younger Women
Diet and lifestyle factors play an important role in breast cancer prevention. A&J Fotos/Getty Images
Early-onset breast cancer in females under 50 is increasing, a new report shows.
Deaths from breast cancer are declining overall, but disparities among women of color persist.
Aside from a genetic component in some people, breast cancer is highly influenced by diet and lifestyle factors.
Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, following a healthy, balanced diet, and limiting exposure to environmental toxins are proven ways to reduce breast cancer risk.
Breast cancer mortality rates have fallen in recent years, but early-onset breast cancer is on the rise.
While breast cancer deaths have decreased by 44% in the past 30 years, the biennial update from the American Cancer Society warns of an uptick in breast cancer diagnoses in females under 50.
Moreover, disparities in mortality rates among women of color persist compared to white women. Black women face higher risks of triple-negative breast cancers and have the lowest survival rates for nearly every breast cancer subtype and stage, the report shows.
Driving breast cancer rates in all females, aside from any genetic predisposition, are myriad factors, many of which are modifiable byproducts of modern-day living.
Recent research has shown that, in 19 out of 30 types of cancer, nearly half of all cases in the United States are linked to modifiable risk factors. A significant proportion of these cancer cases affect females, including breast cancer.
Following lung cancer, female breast cancer is linked to the most modifiable risk factors.
One possible culprit? Alcohol. A progress report from the American Association for Cancer Research linked alcohol consumption to a higher risk for six cancer types, including breast cancer.
Other factors, such as overweight and obesity, difficulty following a healthy diet, and exposure to environmental toxins, also play a role in breast cancer development.
“It’s important to know that the breast organ itself is more vulnerable than other organs to cancer, which is why breast cancer is more common and the price more vulnerable,” said Marisa C. Weiss, MD, chief medical officer and founder of Breastcancer.org.
“If you look at modern life, where people are not having babies until later, they’re not breastfeeding, they’re drinking a lot, or they’re overweight and not exercising, they’re not eating well, or they’re using pharmaceutical hormones for an extended time, it’s a combined set of reasons why breast cancer is more common today than it used to be, including in young women.”
Healthline spoke with Weiss to learn more about early-onset breast cancer and some of the modifiable risk factors, plus other tips for breast cancer prevention.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
Risk factors influencing early-onset breast cancer
Weiss: Breast cancer used to be pretty rare 100 years ago, and it’s become the most common cancer to affect women. 1 in 8 women — 2.3 million globally — are affected by breast cancer each year.
The explanation for the increase in the incidence of breast cancer overall, especially in younger women, is multifold. When it comes to steps you can take that have been proven to drop your risk of breast cancer you should try to:
maintain a healthy weight
exercise regularly
eat a mostly plant-based diet (i.e., the Mediterranean diet)
limit or omit alcohol use
reduce exposure to environmental pollutants
consider non-hormonal birth control
quit smoking
sleep well
socialize with others
consider genetic testing for BRCA gene mutations
consider further testing if you have dense breasts
Here’s a closer look at some of the main factors that may be affecting rising breast cancer rates in young females.
1. High prevalence of overweight and obesity
Weiss: Obesity or being overweight affects two-thirds of women. Carrying extra weight increases inflammation, which irritates the cells of the body and can make it more likely that a cancer cell could occur. Extra weight brings puberty on earlier, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.
For people carrying extra weight, it’s often harder to exercise, and they’re less likely to eat well. One study linked a 30% higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women with obesity compared to those without obesity.
Of course, it’s very hard to get to and stick to a healthy weight, but getting there reduces the risk of breast cancer and the risk of recurrence if you’ve been diagnosed.
2. Increased exposure to environmental pollutants
Weiss: Pesticides and plastics, fragrances, and other types of pollutants — many of them are lipophilic, meaning they dissolve in fat after exposure.
If you had exposure to a pesticide years ago, let’s say DDT, you may still have residue of DDT in your fat tissue, which could raise your risk of breast cancer.
To reduce your exposure to pollutants, avoid products containing fragrances, and don’t cook in plastic.
4. Rising alcohol use among females
Weiss: Alcohol use in women is increasing. And the more alcohol you drink, the higher your breast cancer risk.
Recent studies show there’s no safe level of alcohol use. Any alcohol use can increase breast cancer risk, which is an unpopular reality. If you drink, limit how much you drink.
5. Hormones in conventional dairy products
Weiss: There are hormones in the products that we eat that could stimulate breast cancer cell growth.
The conventional dairy industry, not the organic one, keeps cows pregnant as often as possible because pregnant cows make more milk.
So, whatever’s in the pregnant cow’s milk is more likely to have hormones. Hormones generally live in the fat of the milk.
But in the organic milk industry, they’re not allowed to do that. They only take milk from pregnant cows at the beginning of the pregnancy, not toward the middle and the end, when hormone levels are higher.
If you want to avoid hormone exposure, buy organic fat-free milk. While it sounds elitist to say, ‘Just go out and buy organic,’ it’s true that organic products, including milk, are increasingly available in places like Walmart grocery stores or in other places that serve people with lower incomes.
6. Hormones in birth control, HRT
Weiss: The use of birth control pills is ubiquitous, particularly now, with access to abortion being limited.
Most people are trying to prevent pregnancy rather than have a baby, so the use of hormonal contraception is very effective and widely used.
But the longer you’re on it, the higher the breast cancer risk. That’s also true of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) — the longer you’re on it, the higher the risk of breast cancer.
Try to find nonhormonal methods of effective contraception, like an IUD that doesn’t contain hormones.
Why is it so important to limit or avoid alcohol?
Weiss: We already know girls who drink alcohol are more likely to have overgrowth of breast cells — hyperplasia — while they are still girls. While it may not be breast cancer, they’re more likely to have bumps and more likely to get a biopsy.
We don’t know exactly why alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. It probably has to do with how the liver responds to it and maybe hormone levels that may increase.
It may be that we don’t know the whole story about why alcohol increases cancer risk. Still, there’s pretty strong evidence that says there’s an association between drinking alcohol and a higher risk of breast cancer, and the more you drink, the higher the risk.
But there’s an opportunity to modify your risk — you can drink a nonalcoholic beverage when you go to a party, like flavored seltzer in a wine glass, with a mint and a lime.
When you drink wine with food, you drink more slowly. When you go to a restaurant, put your hand over your glass to avoid being topped off.
Drinking less alcohol also makes a big difference in managing your weight. If you stop drinking alcohol, you will be consuming fewer calories from the alcohol.
Diet and nutrition tips for breast cancer prevention
Weiss: Modern life is full of all kinds of exposures that are not healthy for us. If you’re in the grocery store you have choices, you can choose to bring home food that’s healthy rather than not healthy.
For example, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a list of the ‘Dirty Dozen,’ which is the top fruits and vegetables that are most likely to be grown in the presence of pesticides and other junk. You want to buy those from organic sources like, just like you would milk.
The junk in the environment also concentrates as it goes up the food chain, which is why a bigger fish, like a tuna, is more exposed to junk like mercury throughout its life. So it’s a good idea to eat lower on the food chain.
I tell my patients that the main show on their plate should be fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, spices, and different colors of the rainbow. Your meat, fish, chicken, and pork should be more of a sideshow.
A vegetarian diet is still healthier even if it contains foods on the Dirty Dozen list. A Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet even if you can’t afford to buy organic.
When you eat chicken, for example, take off the skin because that has a lot of the fat in it. When you eat fish, avoid the brown fat part underneath since it contains junk in it.
Enjoy tuna every once in a while, otherwise, enjoy smaller fish (i.e. sardines, anchovies) or even tilapia and flounder, which economically are cheaper than eating something higher on the food chain. The bigger the fish, the higher on the food chain and the more junk there is in there.
For people who can’t afford organic food, a vegetarian diet is still healthier even if it contains foods on the Dirty Dozen list. A Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet even if you can’t afford to buy organic.
Are there any risks to soy consumption?
Weiss: Soy contains isoflavones, a protein with very weak estrogen levels. I think it’s fine to consume relatively unprocessed soy foods (e.g., edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy milk).“Economic vegetarians” who can’t afford meat or people who follow diets where their biggest source of protein is soy. Their risk of breast cancer is low.
What I do warn people against is concentrated pharmaceutical-grade soy protein powder. We don’t know if that’s safe, so I would say avoid it.
Dense breasts: What can you do to lower breast cancer risk?
Weiss: First, don’t panic. The new FDA rule says you’re required to know if your breasts are dense or not. It’s important to know that breast density is not a diagnosis, it’s just a description, and it’s based off your mammogram.
Half the women who get mammograms have dense breasts. Of the half — a quarter of the whole pie — have what we call heterogeneously dense breasts, or patches of dense tissue.
About a quarter of all breast cancers, which is half of the half who have dense breasts, have extremely dense breast tissue. This means that your risk of breast cancer may be a little higher, and it also means that it’s a little harder to find breast cancer in there because it’s like trying to find a polar bear in a blizzard. Then you might need some extra testing like an ultrasound or an MRI.
There’s a whole list of factors that influence your breast cancer risk. Breast density is just one of them.
So breast density, your family history, your weight, your alcohol consumption, whether you’re socially isolated, have uncontrolled diabetes, have been on extended use of HRT or birth control pills, etc. — you want to look at all those factors.
If you find out that you have dense breasts, it’s good to talk with your doctor or a genetic counselor about your overall risk.
It is also important to note that while uncommon, breast cancer also occurs in men. The condition affects about 1 in 800 men in their lifetime, compared with 1 in 8 women.
Takeaway
Early-onset breast cancer cases are on the rise. While overall breast cancer mortality is declining, disparities persist, with women of color still facing significant risks.
Key risk factors for breast cancer include obesity, alcohol consumption, hormone exposures, and environmental pollutants.
Maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, following a mostly plant-based diet, quitting smoking, and limiting or avoiding alcohol can help reduce breast cancer risk.
The role of genetic factors, particularly in women of color and those with a family history of breast cancer, should also be taken into account. Talk with your doctor if you have dense breasts or other risk factors for breast cancer. They may recommend genetic testing for personalized risk management.
Do GLP-1 Supplements Work? Doctors Set the Record Straight on ‘Nature’s Ozempic’
Brands like Kourtney Kardashian’s Lemme are claiming to provide the same benefits as GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. But the truth is, these supplements have little to nothing in common with the drug.
Obesity is falling for the first time as Ozempic and weight loss drugs rise
Newly released data shows that the U.S. may have reached peak obesity in 2020 — and the timing unsurprisingly coincides with the rise of Ozempic and other popular weight loss drugs.Read more…
Clinical trial finds new drug significantly extends lives of breast cancer patients
Patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer very often develop brain metastases. When this happens, patients have low chances of surviving the next few years with existing therapies such as surgery and radiotherapy. Now an international team of researchers under the co-lead of Professor Nadia Harbeck, Director of the Breast Center at LMU University Hospital, has tested a new drug in a clinical trial.
Trial to diagnose breast cancer more quickly
A scheme to let women with symptoms book an appointment directly with a clinic is being trialled.
Ozempic for all, Zepbound is back, and the top CEO pay: Pharma news roundup
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro is promising to make a generic version of Ozempic available through the city’s public health network — if he wins reelection. The top 5 highest-paid pharma CEOs all made over $60 million last year. And CVS Health Corporation (CVS) is set to slash 2,900 jobs as part of a multiyear, …Read more…
Fall River Eats: Galley Grille, Bally’s promos to help breast cancer care, research
Commercial AI tools can be used to predict breast cancer risk, need for extra screening
Researchers find tools developed for diagnosis can result in early detection of the disease, ensuring better prognosis Commercial artificial intelligence (AI) based tools developed for the detection of breast cancer can help early diagnosis of the disease, researchers have found. A breast-level AI score may be able to estimate the risk of future breast cancer
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Study ties diabetes and obesity to increased risk of liver cancer relapse
Hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer associated with hepatitis infections, is known to have a high recurrence rate after cancer removal. Recent advances in antiviral therapy have reduced the number of patients affected, but obesity and diabetes are factors in hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence. However, these factors’ effects on patient survival and cancer recurrence have been unclear.
A mayor promises Ozempic for all and says there ‘will be no more fat people’ in his city
A Brazilian politician is making an interesting campaign pitch: Ozempic for all.Read more…
Zepbound is no longer in shortage. That could hurt off-brand weight loss drug sellers
The shortage of Eli Lilly’s (LLY) blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs is officially over, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Read more…