The use of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, or GLP-1s, has skyrocketed in recent years. A July 7 Gallup poll revealed that the percentage of U.S. adults currently taking GLP-1s for weight loss purposes has risen from 3% in 2024 to 11% in 2026. However, these drugs are also making headlines for their potential to prevent and treat other health conditions, including sleep apnea and adverse cardiovascular events. A large international study suggests that this drug class may also help slow the spread of certain cancers. Read on for a summary of the study results, which were presented at the recent 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Metastatic Risk in Several Cancers
The international study focused on seven cancers that are often linked to obesity in adults: breast, colorectal, kidney, liver, lung, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. Researchers compared outcomes between patients taking GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide and patients taking DPP-4 inhibitors, or gliptins, after their cancer diagnosis. The findings, which are outlined below, suggest a “meaningful reduction in cancer progression across four solid tumor types” for patients taking GLP-1 drugs, per lead author Mark David Orland, who was quoted in the press release.
Evaluating GLP-1 Drugs’ Impact on Metastatic Risk
The study evaluated data from 12,112 people from around the world with stage I, II, or III cancer. According to the study abstract, each individual was identified via the TriNetX Global Health Research Network. Half of the individuals started taking a GLP-1 drug: either liraglutide, pramlintide, dulaglutide, tirzepatide, lixisenatide, or semaglutide. The other half of the study participants started taking a DPP-4 inhibitor. These drugs are also known as gliptins, and they represent a class of prescription oral medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes. The study ultimately compared the number of people in both groups who progressed to stage IV cancer.
For lung, breast, colorectal, and liver cancer, patients taking GLP-1 drugs were up to 50% less likely to develop metastatic disease than patients taking gliptins. Overall, when evaluating patients taking GLP-1 drugs versus gliptins, researchers reported metastatic progression rates of 10% versus 22% in lung cancer, 10% versus 20% in breast cancer, 13% versus 22% in colorectal cancer, and 19% versus 28% in liver cancer. For kidney, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, patients taking GLP-1 medications also had lower rates of metastasis, though those differences were not “statistically significant,” per the study abstract.
The research also explored whether GLP-1 receptor expression within tumors may influence outcomes. Investigators found that higher GLP-1 receptor expression was associated with a 33% lower risk of death overall. This was “particularly true for breast cancer, in which the risk was reduced by 45%.” The findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs may be “protective” in an oncology setting.
A New Frontier in GLP-1 Drug Development
Because this was an observational study using real-world data rather than a randomized clinical trial, it shows an association rather than proving that GLP-1 drugs caused the benefit. However, the findings highlight the growing scientific interest in GLP-1 medications beyond the diabetes and weight-loss realms.
Moving forward, further research is needed to determine how GLP-1 drugs may affect cancer progression. This research may take the shape of randomized clinical trials, which can better determine whether the medications play a direct role in slowing metastatic disease through metabolic intervention. The study “provides early evidence that future studies are worth pursuing,” said lead author Orland in the release.
Future randomized clinical trials could involve testing the influence of GLP inhibitors and other novel metabolic regulators on cancer biology and the immune system as a whole. From a biological perspective, GLP-1 agonists act using a combination of insulin signaling, inflammation suppression, and metabolic function. Drugs that alter the metabolic environment could play an important role in advancing beyond traditional oncology treatments to address metastasis.
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While further research is needed, this study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that metabolism could play a role in cancer progression. With additional clinical context, GLP-1 drugs could become a powerful new therapeutic option in oncology.
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