Hormonal
The association between GLP-1 RAs and reduced cancer risk is not uniform across the class; liraglutide and semaglutide show reduced risk, while dulaglutide shows a neutral association.
While the class as a whole does not increase cancer risk, the protective effect may vary by drug. Liraglutide and semaglutide show signals of reduced risk, whereas dulaglutide shows a neutral effect. This suggests that the choice of GLP-1 RA might matter for long-term oncological safety, though more research is needed.
When stratified by individual GLP-1 RAs, liraglutide and semaglutide were associated with reduced risk of gastrointestinal cancers (HR 0.77 and 0.79, respectively), while dulaglutide showed a neutral association (HR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.72–1.14).
Why this rating
Based on subgroup analysis of RCTs, which may have lower statistical power for specific drug-cancer interactions.
Source
Reassessing cancer risk with GLP-1 receptor agonists: a comprehensive meta-analysis of gastrointestinal malignancies
Adil Farooq Wali et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2026
DOI 10.3389/fphar.2026.1736380
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