ASCO CONFERENCE COVERAGE

GLP-1RA Use Associated With Lower Metastatic Progression in Propensity-Matched Solid Tumor Analysis

Edited by:
Anthony Calabro, MA

Key Highlights

  • The analysis included 10,225 patients with stage I-III cancer who initiated GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) therapy after diagnosis.
  • GLP-1RA –exposed patients were matched 1:1 with DPP-4 inhibitor controls across 7 solid tumor types.
  • Statistically significant reductions in progression to stage IV disease were reported in NSCLC, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • High tumor GLP-1R expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas data correlated with improved overall survival across the 7 tumor types.

GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) exposure after cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of progression to metastatic disease across several solid tumors, according to findings from a propensity-matched analysis, according to results of a propensity-matched analysis presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

Using the TriNetX Global Health Research Network, researchers identified 10,225 patients with stage I-III cancer who initiated GLP-1RA therapy after diagnosis. Patients exposed to GLP-1RAs were propensity matched 1:1 with DPP-4 inhibitor controls across:

  • breast adenocarcinoma;
  • prostate adenocarcinoma;
  • non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC);
  • colorectal adenocarcinoma;
  • hepatocellular carcinoma;
  • renal cell carcinoma; and
  • pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Matching variables included demographics, BMI, glycemic factors, smoking, comorbidities, screening frequency, oncologic treatments, and concurrent medications.

The primary outcome was progression to stage IV disease. Researchers also used The Cancer Genome Atlas data to assess whether GLP-1R expression correlated with overall survival.

Study Findings

GLP-1RA exposure was associated with reduced metastatic progression in 6 of 7 malignancies, with statistically significant reductions in NSCLC, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. No significant safety signals or increased adverse events were observed in patients exposed to GLP-1RA compared with controls.

For NSCLC, cumulative incidence of progression was 10.0% with GLP-1RA exposure vs 22.3% with DPP-4 inhibitor exposure (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.43-0.59; P < .001). For breast cancer, cumulative incidence was 10.2% vs 20.1% (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46-0.71; P < .001). For colorectal cancer, cumulative incidence was 13.4% vs 22.2% (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.54-0.88; P = .003). For hepatocellular carcinoma, cumulative incidence was 18.9% vs 28.4% (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44-0.89; P = .009). High tumor GLP-1R expression correlated with improved survival across the 7 tumor types (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54-0.83; P < .001), most notably in breast cancer (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.35-0.87; P = .011).

Clinical Implications

According to the study authors, GLP-1RA initiation after cancer diagnosis was associated with reduced metastatic progression across multiple solid tumors. They also stated that elevated GLP-1R expression independently predicted improved overall survival.

Expert Commentary

“These findings warrant validation in prospective randomized controlled trials and mechanistic investigation of potential antineoplastic pathways driven by GLP-1RAs,” the researchers concluded.

Reference
Orland MD, Mandala A, Unlu S, et al. Can GLP-1 receptor agonists mitigate cancer progression? A propensity-matched analysis across seven solid tumors. Presented at: 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting; abstract 3143