GLP-1 RAs May Reduce Risk for Cancer in Adults with Obesity: Daily Dose

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On August 22, 2025, we reported on a study published in JAMA Oncology that was designed to compare the incidence of 14 cancers among adults with obesity prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) against nonusers.

The study

Researchers used electronic health record data from the OneFlorida+ health research network, which covers about 10 million individuals in Florida and neighboring southern states. The final cohort, identified between January 1 and 31, 2024, included 86 632 adults meeting eligibility criteria of either obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or greater) or overweight (BMI 27–29.9 with at least one weight-related comorbidity). They matched 43 317 GLP-1 RA users to 43 315 nonusers. Among all participants the mean age was 52.4 years, 68.2% were women, and 44.2% were non-Hispanic White. Approximately half (48.3%) were categorized as having obesity and roughly the same proportion (50.7%) had type 2 diabetes.

The findings

The incidence rates of the 14 cancers were 13.6 vs 16.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively, indicating a significantly lower overall cancer risk among individuals taking GLP-1RAs. The overall hazard ratio (HR) for cancer among the former vs the latter group was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.76–0.91; P = .002).

Results showed statistically significant reductions for 3 types of cancer:

• Endometrial cancer (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57–0.99)

• Ovarian cancer (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29–0.96)

• Meningioma (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.48–0.97).

When endometrial and ovarian cancers were analyzed together, the combined hazard ratio was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.52–0.87).

Conversely, investigators observed a higher incidence of kidney cancer among GLP-1 users compared with nonusers, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.99–1.93).

Authors' comments

"As obesity rates continue to rise, identifying effective interventions to mitigate cancer risk among individuals with obesity is a critical public health priority...Given that more than 137 million individuals in the US are currently eligible for GLP-1RA therapies, even modest changes in cancer risk could have substantial public health implications.”

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