GLP-1RAs show anti-cancer benefits beyond weight loss

Abigail Beaney

Tue, May 13, 2025, 7:14 AM 3 min read

A survey has recovered that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) connection anti-cancer benefits that widen beyond their relation successful promoting value loss.

The observational survey (COM2-0186-22), presented during the European Congress connected Obesity (ECO) taking spot successful Malaga, Spain betwixt 11-14 May and published successful the diary eClinicalMedicine, investigated first-generation GLP-1RAs Victoza (liraglutide) and Byetta (exenatide).

The survey recovered that GLP1-RAs had a nonstop effect connected reducing obesity-related crab beyond value loss, with a 41% little comparative hazard compared to bariatric surgery.

Researchers analysed physics wellness grounds information and implicit a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 298 patients were diagnosed with obesity-related cancer. Of these cases, 150 were from 3,178 country patients (5.76 cases per 1,000 person-years) compared with 148 cases from 3,178 patients taking GLP-1RAs (5.64 cases per 1,000 person-years). This comes arsenic bariatric country successful value simplification is already known to trim crab risk.

The astir communal crab was postmenopausal bosom crab (26%), followed by colorectal crab (16%), and crab of the uterus (15%).

To measure the comparative effect beyond the grade of value nonaccomplishment (which mediates the simplification successful crab hazard pursuing treatment), the researchers further adjusted the investigation for the percent of maximal BMI alteration during follow-up.

Co-lead writer Dr Yael Wolff Sagy from Clalit Health Services, Tel-Aviv, Israel, said: “Our survey recovered a akin incidence of obesity-related crab among patients treated with first-generation GLP-1RAs and with bariatric country implicit an mean of 8 years follow-up, contempt the comparative vantage of country successful maximising value loss. But accounting for this vantage revealed the nonstop effect of GLP-1RAs beyond value nonaccomplishment to beryllium 41% much effectual astatine preventing obesity-related cancer.”

Of the 6,356 survey participants, 3,884 (61.1%) were females. At baseline, the mean property was 52.3 years, and the mean BMI was 41.5kg/m².

Both obesity and diabetes are linked with an accrued hazard for galore types of cancer, referred to arsenic obesity-related cancer, including colorectal cancer, corpus uteri cancer, meningioma and ovarian cancer, arsenic good arsenic aggregate myeloma.

Investigators are present calling for randomised trials and larger prospective studies to corroborate the anti-cancer effects of GLP-1RAs noted successful the observational survey and research the underlying mechanisms.

GLP-1RAs are besides being investigated successful other indications beyond obesity and benignant 2 diabetes, including Alzheimer’s disease, addictive disorders and psychiatric disorders.