Endocrinology > > Type 2 Diabetes– For individuals with diabetes, cancer threats were minimized with GLP-1s versus insulin
by Kristen Monaco, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today July 5, 2024
GLP-1 receptor agonists decreased the danger of a number of obesity-associated cancers, a retrospective analysis of electronic health records recommended.
Compared to insulin, GLP-1s were related to a lower threat for establishing 10 of 13 cancers in individuals with type II diabetes, reported Nathan Berger, MD, of the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and coworkers in JAMA Network Open
The follow-up duration covered approximately 15 years, and revealed threat decreases for:
- Gallbladder cancer: HR 0.35 (95% CI 0.15-0.83)
- Meningioma: HR 0.37 (95% CI 0.18-0.74)
- Pancreatic cancer: HR 0.41 (95% CI 0.33-0.50)
- Hepatocellular cancer: HR 0.47 (95% CI 0.36-0.61)
- Ovarian cancer: HR 0.52 (95% CI 0.37-0.74)
- Colorectal cancer: HR 0.54 (95% CI 0.46-0.64)
- Numerous myeloma: HR 0.59 (95% CI 0.44-0.77)
- Esophageal cancer: HR 0.60 (95% CI 0.42-0.86)
- Endometrial cancer: HR 0.74 (95% CI 0.60-0.91)
- Kidney cancer: HR 0.76 (95% CI 0.64-0.91)
No decline in cancer threat was related to GLP-1 receptors compared to metformin.
“This research study contributes to the growing body of proof supporting the pleiotropic impacts of GLP-1 receptor agonists on cancer avoidance, consisting of obesity-associated cancers,” co-author and medical trainee Lindsey Wang, likewise of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, informed MedPage Today. (Berger died before the research study was released.)
“Given that weight problems is a recognized danger element for a minimum of 13 cancer types, and thinking about the extensive usage of GLP-1 receptor agonists for both type 2 diabetes management and weight-loss, we saw a chance to examine a possible link,” she stated.
“The increasing appeal of more recent GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide [Ozempic, Wegovy] and tirzepatide [Mounjaro, Zepbound] even more highlighted the significance of this research study,” Wang included.
The scientists recognized a pattern towards a decreased threat for stomach cancer with GLP-1s compared to insulin which did not reach analytical significance. GLP-1s were not connected with a decreased danger of postmenopausal breast cancer or thyroid cancer.
When GLP-1s were compared to metformin, the scientists discovered a nonsignificant pattern towards a lower threat for colorectal and gallbladder cancer. Kidney cancers, nevertheless, revealed an increased threat with GLP-1 treatment relative to metformin (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.27-1.87).
The boost in kidney cancer threat recommends “the requirement for ongoing tracking in clients being treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists,” the scientists kept in mind. GLP-1s have direct results on kidney function in kidney vasculature however have not been connected with increased mitogenesis or previous reports of kidney cancers, they mentioned.
The analysis was carried out utilizing electronic health records of 1,651,452 U.S. clients with type 2 diabetes who were recommended GLP-1 receptor agonists, insulins, or metformin from 2005 to 2018.
