Denmark-wide study of long-term cancer risk in users of GLP-1 agonists versus DPP-4 inhibitors
PhD student Mads Gamborg
A retrospective study in Denmark investigated long-term cancer risk among sustained users of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) with users of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) as comparator group. Risk of cancer was higher in the GLP-1RA user group, with an excess cancer risk of 6.6 (95% CI 1,8 to 10,7) per 100 women and 2.2 (-2.2 to 6.2) per 100 men. For a secondary outcome, fewer patients died without prior cancer among users of GLP-1RA than among users of DPP-4i (per 100 users: -4.9; 95% CI -7.6 to -2.4). The authors conclude that long-term sustained users of GLP-1RA had a small increased risk of cancer; potentially explained by a survival benefit.
