Association of GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT 2 inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, and sulfonylureas with incident cancer in type 2 diabetes
Authors' conclusion
The increased risk of obesity-nonrelated cancers following GLP-1RA therapy warrants further investigation and caution among at-risk individuals.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with T2D and moderate cardiovascular risk, Optum Labs Data Warehouse and traditional Medicare claims, January 2014–December 2021after IPTW
- Participants
- 41,123 / 54,423 / 73,803 / 186,988
- Exposure
- GLP-1 RA vs SGLT2i vs DPP-4i vs SU initiation
- GLP-1RAn = 41,123
- SGLT2in = 54,423
- DPP4in = 73,803reference
- Sulfonylureasn = 186,988
- Outcome
- Any new cancer diagnosis
Methodological detailsclaims data, propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting
- Claims data
- Propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
GLP-1RAvs DPP4i
1.13(1.05–1.21)
SGLT2ivs GLP-1RA
0.89(0.82–0.96)
Sulfonylureasvs GLP-1RA
0.87(0.81–0.92)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Cancer subgroups: obesity-related and obesity-nonrelated cancers
- Results were driven by obesity-nonrelated cancers
- No difference between study drugs for obesity-related cancers
Original publication
Association of GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT 2 inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, and sulfonylureas with incident cancer in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Published 17 August 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →