Study Suggests GLP-1 Drugs May Slow Spread of Certain Cancers

A large international study is raising new questions about whether GLP-1 receptor agonists, the class of drugs commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, could also help slow the spread of certain cancers. 

Researchers found that patients with several obesity-related cancers who took GLP-1 drugs were less likely to progress to advancing disease compared with patients taking another class of diabetes medications known as DPP-4 inhibitors, or gliptins. 

The findings, which will be presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, were based on health records from more than 12,000 patients worldwide with stage 1, 2 or 3 cancer. 

#ASCO26 abstracts are live, & so is coverage from #ASCODailyNews! The addition of #GLP1 receptor agonists to combo endocrine therapy & CDK4/6is was associated with a 30% reduction in mortality risk in patients with #MetastaticBreastCancer: https://t.co/LPhggp3K7v#bcsm pic.twitter.com/oEN0yOrMpz

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The study focused on seven obesity-related cancers: breast, prostate, non-small cell lung, colorectal, liver, kidney and pancreatic cancer. Researchers compared outcomes between patients taking GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide and patients taking gliptins after their cancer diagnosis. 

“We now know there is a clear symbiosis between the body’s metabolism and that this impacts the potential for metabolically-related cancers,” said  Monica Avila, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center. “I think for a long time obesity has been linked as the culprit, but it is the metabolic abnormalities that are driven by obesity that we are now honing in on. This study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that metabolism doesn’t just impact cancer formation but also cancer progression.” 

Reduced Metastatic Risk Seen in Several Tumor Types 

For four cancer types: lung, breast, colorectal and liver cancer, patients taking GLP-1 drugs were 38% to 50% less likely to develop metastatic disease than patients taking gliptins. 

Researchers reported metastatic progression rates of 10% versus 22% in lung cancer, 10% versus 20% in breast cancer, 13% versus 22% in colorectal cancer and 19% versus 28% in liver cancer for patients taking GLP-1 drugs compared with gliptins. 

For prostate, pancreatic and kidney cancers, patients taking GLP-1 medications also had lower rates of metastasis, though those differences were not statistically significant. 

The research also explored whether GLP-1 receptor expression inside tumors may influence outcomes. Investigators found higher GLP-1 receptor expression was associated with a 33% lower risk of death overall, with particularly strong findings in breast cancer. 

“Our study found that use of GLP-1 drugs, compared to DPP-4 inhibitors and other antidiabetic drugs, was associated with a meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types,” said lead author Mark David Orland, MD from the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute. “It provides early evidence that future studies are worth pursuing.” 

Growing Interest in GLP-1 Therapies Beyond Weight Loss 

The findings add to growing scientific interest surrounding GLP-1 drugs, which have become increasingly common for diabetes management and weight loss in recent years. Researchers say the medications may influence cancer biology through several mechanisms, including reducing inflammation, altering how cancer cells access fuel and affecting the immune system. 

“In the cancer realm, all the data we have has been retrospective trying to tease out patterns of formation and response while using GLP1s,” Avila said. “This foundation should be the impetus for driving the exploration of randomized clinical trials for patients testing these theories with GLP inhibitors and other novel metabolic regulators. I think we will live to see a time where cancer therapies are modulated by leveraging the human metabolism at different time points during cancer treatment, including even before treatment is necessary.” 

I think we will live to see a time where cancer therapies are modulated by leveraging the human metabolism at different time points during cancer treatment, including even before treatment is necessary.

Monica Avila, MD

Researchers reported similar rates of adverse events between the GLP-1 and gliptin groups, including no increased rates of stomach or pancreatic inflammation among patients taking GLP-1 medications. 

Next Steps for Research 

Researchers plan to continue studying how GLP-1 drugs may affect cancer progression and hope future randomized clinical trials can better determine whether the medications play a direct role in slowing metastatic disease.