Associations Between Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RAs) and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Design
- Meta-analysis · Hard outcome
- Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
- Different population[Auto] Synthesis of studies conducted predominantly in people with obesity/overweight.
- Could weight loss explain it?
- Possibly[Auto] Participants had obesity and/or type 2 diabetes and the abstract does not separate direct drug effects from weight loss or glycaemic improvement.
- Study tier
- Study tier 3[Auto] Systematic review/meta-analysis including observational studies (auto-provisional).
- Assessment
- Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 13, 2026
Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.
[Auto, unreviewed; last sentences of abstract] As GLP-1RA use increases, ongoing safety monitoring and long-term real-world data are essential. The potential role of GLP-1RAs in cancer risk reduction warrants further investigation through large-scale RCTs, alongside balanced risk-benefit discussions with patients.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Class unspecified
- Primary outcome
- Not extracted
- Effect
- Not extracted
- 95% confidence interval
- Not extracted
- Follow-up
- Not stated
- Adverse events
- Not extracted
- Limitations
- Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.
Who was studied
- Obesity status
- obesity/overweight present (all or most)
- Diabetes status
- diabetes mentioned
- Cvd status
- cardiovascular disease present in population (see abstract)
Study quality details
- Study design
- Meta-analysis
- Sample size
- not extracted
- Randomization
- n/a
- Blinding
- not stated
- Comparator
- not stated
- Follow up duration
- not stated
- Outcome type
- hard
- Replication
- not assessed (auto)
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed (auto)
- Population applicability
- INDIRECT
- Statistical precision
- CI reported: 95% CI: 0
- Risk of bias
- not assessed (auto)
- Funding conflicts
- unclear
- Peer review status
- yes
02Funding
Funding and conflicts
- Funding
- not reported in abstract
- Industry funded
- Unclear
- Manufacturer
- None identified
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Independent replication
- unknown
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
IntroductionUse of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) for control of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction is increasing. Given the established link between obesity and multiple cancers, there is growing interest in the potential effects of GLP-1RAs on cancer risk reduction. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis evaluated the association between GLP-1RA use and cancer incidence.MethodsWe conducted literature searches in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, covering publications up to September 17th, 2025. Our review included studies among adults receiving GLP-1RAs for any indication that reported effects on cancer incidence of any type.ResultsAmong 1,644 unique citations identified, 139 studies met the inclusion criteria for full-text review. After study exclusion, a total of 78 observational studies were included in the review and meta-analysis. GLP-1RA use was associated with statistically significant reductions in cancer risk for 10 of 13 obesity-associated cancers, specifically colorectal, endometrial, esophageal, gallbladder, liver, ovarian, pancreatic and stomach cancers along with meningioma and multiple myeloma. Compared to insulin specifically, GLP-1RAs provided protective effects against cancer of the colorectum (RR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.66), liver (RR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.62), and pancreas (RR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.48). The risk of developing thyroid cancer was slightly elevated, but not statistically significant, among GLP-1RA users (RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.21).ConclusionsPooled estimates of observational studies suggest notable reductions in cancer incidence for several obesity-associated cancers. As GLP-1RA use increases, ongoing safety monitoring and long-term real-world data are essential. The potential role of GLP-1RAs in cancer risk reduction warrants further investigation through large-scale RCTs, alongside balanced risk-benefit discussions with patients.