Trending Now - GLP-1 Medications Show Promise in Slowing Cancer Progression
WHO:
MedPage Today - Mark David Orland, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute presented findings.
MedPage Today - Eric Small, MD, ASCO President and prostate cancer specialist at the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
MedPage Today - Jennifer Ligibel, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
MedPage Today - Julie Gralow, MD, chief medical officer at ASCO.
WHAT:
MedPage Today - The analysis included 10,225 patients who started a GLP-1 drug after a diagnosis of one of seven obesity-related cancers.
MedPage Today - The most common cancer type in the study was non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at 36%, followed by breast cancer at 20%, prostate cancer at 17%, colorectal cancer at 13%, renal cell carcinoma at 9%, hepatocellular carcinoma at 5%, and pancreatic cancer at 2%.
MedPage Today - Over 5 years, the rates of progression to metastatic disease for colorectal cancer were 13% in the GLP-1 group compared to 22% in the DPP-4 inhibitor group (HR 0.69, P=0.003).
MedPage Today - For hepatocellular carcinoma, the rates were 19% vs 28% (HR 0.62, P=0.009), for breast cancer 10% vs 20% (HR 0.57, P<0.001), and for non-small cell lung cancer 10% vs 22% (HR 0.50, P<0.001).
Yahoo Finance - A recent analysis of over 137,000 breast cancer patients found that over 95% of GLP-1 users were alive after five years, compared to 89.5% of nonusers.
NBC News - GLP-1 drugs may be linked to a lower risk of cancer progression.
MedPage Today - GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with a 31% to 50% lower risk of progression to stage IV disease in patients with stage I-III colorectal, liver, breast, or lung cancers compared to DPP-4 inhibitors.
MedPage Today - Over a 5-year period, rates of progression to metastatic disease were significantly lower in the GLP-1 drug group for four tumor types: colorectal cancer (13% vs 22%), hepatocellular carcinoma (19% vs 28%), breast cancer (10% vs 20%), and non-small cell lung cancer (10% vs 22%).
MedPage Today - The final matched cohort included 12,112 patients, with 55-60% white, 20-25% Black, and 10-15% Asian demographics.
WHERE:
MedPage Today - The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.
WHEN:
NBC News - Research will be presented next week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting.
WHY:
MedPage Today - The study suggests that GLP-1 drugs may have anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory properties that hint at broader effects beyond glucose-lowering.
MedPage Today - In people with diabetes, the risk of developing certain tumor types can be up to twice as high due to high sugar and inflammatory environments.
HOW:
MedPage Today - The analysis used data from the TriNetX Global Health Research Network and included a propensity score-matched analysis.
MedPage Today - The study adjusted for confounding variables and matched patients by age, race, body mass index, cancer treatment, and other factors.
(UPDATED May 23, 2026 01:33 UTC)
A recent analysis involving over 10,000 patients diagnosed with obesity-related cancers has revealed significant findings regarding the use of GLP-1 drugs. The study showed that patients using GLP-1 medications had lower rates of progression to metastatic disease across various cancer types, including non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer, compared to those taking DPP-4 inhibitors. Additionally, another analysis found that more than 95% of breast cancer patients using GLP-1 drugs were alive after five years, compared to just 89.5% of those who did not use these medications.
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(UPDATED May 22, 2026 19:31 UTC)
At the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago, researchers presented findings suggesting that GLP-1 drugs may be linked to a lower risk of cancer progression, with a notable 31% to 50% reduction in the progression to stage IV disease for patients with various cancers compared to DPP-4 inhibitors. Over a five-year period, the study, which included over 12,000 patients, showed significantly lower rates of progression to metastatic disease in those taking GLP-1 drugs across four tumor types, including colorectal and breast cancer. The research indicates that these drugs may have anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory properties that could extend their benefits beyond just glucose control, particularly for individuals with diabetes who face a higher risk of certain tumors.