Media release

From: American College of Physicians

GLP-1 receptor agonists likely have little or no effect on obesity-related cancer risk

A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the risk for obesity-related cancer associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) or overweight or obesity. The review found that GLP-1RAs probably have little or no effect on risk for thyroid, pancreatic, breast, or kidney cancer and may have little or no effect on other obesity-related cancers, although certainty of evidence was low for most outcomes. Longer-term studies are needed to clarify potential risks or benefits. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School and colleagues analyzed 48 placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 94,245 participants that evaluated the efficacy or safety of GLP-1RAs/dual agonists in adult patients with T2DM or overweight or obesity that reported on any of the following cancer  or meningioma. RCTs included in the review examined only clinically available and FDA-approved agents such as semaglutide, dulaglutide, and tirzepatide. Most studies had short follow-up and were not designed to assess cancer as a primary outcome. The researchers found that GLP-1RAs probably have little or no effect on risk for thyroid, pancreatic, breast, or kidney cancer. For other obesity related cancers such as colorectal, esophageal, and liver cancer, the evidence was of low certainty, and the effect of GLP-1RAs on gastric cancer remains very uncertain. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed consistent results across drug classes, doses, and follow-up durations. The findings offer insights into the safety of GLP-1RAs and suggest no clear signal of increased cancer risk, but longer-term studies with cancer-specific end points are needed to clarify potential risks or protective effects.