No increased breast cancer risk found with GLP-1 receptor agonists
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Use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for treatment of diabetes or obesity does not increase the risk for breast cancer or benign breast neoplasms, according to study findings.
“SCALE is a trial that shows that the [GLP-1 receptor agonist] liraglutide [has the] potential to reduce weight in obesity and prediabetes patients,” Giovana Fagundes Piccoli, MD, of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil, said during a virtual presentation at the ENDO annual meeting. “In this trial, there was an imbalance in the incidence of breast neoplasms between the group treated with liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda; Novo Nordisk) and the placebo group, although this wasn’t statistically significant.”
Most cases of breast cancer and premalignant neoplasms in SCALE occurred in the first year of treatment and among participants who lost more weight, suggesting detection bias, Piccoli said.
To assess an association with GLP-1 receptor agonists and breast cancer, Piccoli and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with 52 trials that included 48,267 participants who were assigned the study drug and 40,755 controls; 50 of the trials reported cases of breast cancer, and 11 reported cases of benign breast neoplasm. Follow-up times were from 24 weeks to 17.5 years.
The researchers calculated an RR of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.76-1.26) for breast cancer and an RR of 0.99 (95% CI, 0.48-2.01) for benign breast neoplasm with use of any GLP-1 receptor agonist. Results did not differ by specific drug, molecule type or study design.
“GLP-1 receptor agonists are not associated with breast cancer, not associated with benign breast neoplasms and can be used as adjunct to diet and exercise in subjects with type 2 diabetes and excessive weight,” Piccoli said.
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Piccoli GF, et al. OR10-4. Presented at: ENDO annual meeting; March 20-23, 2021 (virtual meeting).
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