Retrospective cohort study of survival and recurrence with GLP-1 receptor agonists among breast cancer patients

Patients with breast cancer (BC) with comorbid obesity or type 2 diabetes (T2D) experience poorer survival than BC patients without obesity or T2D. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are approved to treat these comorbidities; however, their association with BC survival and recurrence are not clear. A retrospective cohort study using TriNetX US Collaborative Network data from 841,831 women (≥ 18 years) with BC from 68 healthcare organizations who received a diagnosis between April 1, 2006 and April 1, 2023, investigated the impact of GLP-1 RAs on survival and recurrence. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality; the secondary outcome was recurrence-free survival. The figure shows that GLP-1 RA use versus nonuse was significantly associated with improved survival and reduced recurrned among patients with obesity, whereas similar benefits were seen among patients with T2D when compared with other antidiabetic medications. The authors conclude that GLP-1 RAs may offer protective benefits beyond glycemic and weight control, potentially improving survival and recurrence risk in some female patients with breast cancer.