GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Use Linked to Reduced Overall Risk for Cancer in Adults With Obesity
TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2025 -- For adults with obesity, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use is associated with a reduced overall risk for cancer, including lower risks for endometrial, ovarian, and meningioma cancers, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in JAMA Oncology.
Hao Dai, Ph.D., from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues compared the incidence of 14 cancers among adults with obesity prescribed GLP-1 RAs versus nonusers in a retrospective cohort study following a target trial emulation design using 2014 to 2024 electronic health record data from OneFlorida+. The study included adults eligible for antiobesity medications without prior cancer history: 43,317 GLP-1 RA users and 43,315 propensity score-matched nonusers.
The researchers found that the incidence rates of the 14 cancers were 13.6 and 16.4 per 1,000 person-years, respectively, with a significantly lower overall cancer risk among GLP-1 RA users versus nonusers (hazard ratio, 0.83). GLP-1 RA use was associated with a significantly reduced risk for endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and meningioma (hazard ratios, 0.75, 0.53 and 0.69, respectively) and with a marginally nonsignificant increased risk for kidney cancer.
"These findings highlight the importance of tailored risk assessments and underscore the need for further long-term studies to clarify the impact of GLP-1 RAs on cancer risk in high-risk populations," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
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